• About us
    • About us
    • Equity, Diversity and Belonging
    • Oxford Education Deanery
    • Consultancy
    • Resources
    • Vacancies
    • Contact us
  • Research
    • Research
    • Research Centres
    • Research Themes & Groups
    • Projects
    • Reports
    • Podcasts
    • Impact
    • Interactive Research Map
  • Study
    • Study
    • Courses
  • People
  • News
    • News
    • Blogs
    • Podcasts
    • Videos
  • Events
    • Events
    • Past Events
    • Public Seminar Series
  • About us
    Back
    • Equity, Diversity and Belonging
    • Oxford Education Deanery
    • Consultancy
    • Resources
    • Vacancies
    • Contact us
  • Research
    Back
    • Research Centres
    • Research Themes & Groups
    • Projects
    • Reports
    • Podcasts
    • Impact
    • Interactive Research Map
  • Study
    Back
    • Courses
  • People
    Back
  • News
    Back
    • Blogs
    • Podcasts
    • Videos
  • Events
    Back
    • Past Events
    • Public Seminar Series
Home > Research

Research

We are world-leading in the research that we do at the Department and consistently come top in the Research Excellence Framework. Our research is embedded into our teaching, giving our students the most up-to-date theory from research-driven tutors.

 

Director's Welcome

Our research is centred around three themes which demonstrate our focus on learning across the life-course:

  • Language, Cognition and Development
  • Economy, Policy and Society
  • Pedagogy, Learning and Knowledge 

Within each theme, we have centres and research groups focusing on particular aspects of education.

The diverse community of researchers from all career stages – including early career researchers and senior academics as well as visiting scholars – contributes to the inclusive, collaborative and innovative research culture of the Department. Our research is world-leading in its interdisciplinary character and impactful in reaching out to relevant stakeholders such as policy makers and practitioners.

Some indicators of our proactive research culture are recent successes in securing funding for research and development around emerging challenges such as the Covid-19 pandemic. Our Athena SWAN Bronze Award speaks to how seriously the Department takes the principles of diversity and inclusion, irrespective of any aspect of our staff’s, researchers’ and students’ identities.

Indeed, it is such representation in diversity that ensures the quality of our research by demanding robust mechanisms to critically check our ideas against different viewpoints, theoretical orientations and methodological approaches. Our research aims include not only contributions to new knowledge and impact on educational policy and practice, but also the use of educational research for activism towards social justice reform and progress.

Dr James Robson, Director of Research

Professor James Robson

Our Research

Students
Research Centres
We have five specialist research centres in the Department.
Discover More
Student in seminar
Research Themes & Groups
Our individual research groups are organised within our parent themes.
Discover More
Students
Research Projects
Take a deep dive into our research projects.
Discover More
Students
Impact
We generate impact within education policy and practice in the UK and beyond.
Discover More
Students
Research Podcasts
Listen to the latest podcasts about our research and teaching.
Discover More
Students
Oxford Review of Education
The Oxford Review of Education aims to publish important new work on educational topics of general interest in a form that is accessible to a broad educational readership.
Discover More
Dept of Education and Oxford University logos linked to Dept of Education
Cyber Essentials Logo linked to their certificate

Department of Education

University of Oxford

15 Norham Gardens

Oxford, OX2 6PY

Phone: +44 (0) 1865 274024

    © 2025 Oxford University Department of Education

    |
  • Privacy Policy
  • |
  • Cookies
  • |
  • Accessibility statement
  • |
  • University of Oxford