Research Culture
IGFS was established in 2016 as one of three bespoke Global Research Institutes (GRI) within the university with a brief to promote interdisciplinary research (IDR) with research partners from around the world in order to meet the needs of society.
This research would also be carried out in close partnership with business and industry to ensure application and impact beyond the university. Reflecting this, IGFS is guided by both an International Scientific Advisory Board (ISAB) and an Industrial Advisory Board (IAB). A number of honorary 'Professors of Practice' have been appointed from the business community to strengthen the academic-enterprise interface.
There is also a strong emphasis on creating the kind of research culture which attracts talented ECRs – 10 out of 70.8 FTE research staff are now ECRs. Two cohort-based doctoral training programmes (UKRI-BBSRC; UKRI-NERC) ensure we are training the next generation of food-system leaders. Overall, PhD numbers at IGFS have tripled in the past seven years.