Mission
The School of Advanced Study, established within the University of London in 1994, is dedicated to supporting researchers and promoting research in the humanities and social sciences. It receives national funding from the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) for its mission.
The School's fundamental purpose is to maintain and develop the resources of its 10 member institutes, many of which have long and distinguished histories, for the benefit of national and international research communities.
The School achieves its national mission by:
- Providing a research base for an international community of scholars
- Inspiring, developing, supporting and creating the conditions for research initiatives and networks
- Enhancing the dissemination of the research of others, and related activities, beyond what they or their institutions could achieve alone
- Providing specialist research training at Master's, doctoral and postdoctoral levels, locally, nationally and internationally
- Adding value to the work of researchers in the humanities and social sciences throughout the UK
The School’s Strategic Plan 2009-10 through to 2012-13 [PDF] identifies strategic objectives and priorities to fulfil the School’s national and international research promotion and facilitation role. Key strategic objectives, underpinned by excellent research, include:
- The provision of outstanding and collaborative library collections
- The continued development of innovative digital resource provision
- Increased scope and diversity of high quality academic and professional publications
- Enhanced fellowship opportunities for outstanding visiting researchers
- An events programme that maximises intellectual outreach to the academic and non-academic sectors
- National and international research and policy-making networks and collaborative opportunities
- A comprehensive and nationally significant calendar of research and transferable skills training
