Why collaborate with University of Bristol

Landscape slider image of the Wills Memorial Building and wider Bristol backdrop

We support and encourage international collaboration with scholars from all over the world, encompassing all disciplines and striving to drive forward cutting-edge, excellent research. The following resources are just some of the benefits of international collaboration with Bristol.

Research reputation
The University of Bristol is one of the UK’s top five universities for research (most recent Research Excellence Framework results in 2021). It is also in the top 5% globally in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings (most recent results in 2024) which plot the performance of universities against the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The University offers opportunities for international researchers and our own academics to come together to share ideas and expertise to examine practical problems and tackle global challenges. Find out more about the University's research themes and outputs.
University-managed accommodation options
The University's Staff Residential Lettings team manage a portfolio of properties, which can be booked for visiting researchers, subject to availability. This includes Principal's House, a beautiful period building ideally located right in the heart of the University's central campus, which prioritises bookings from visiting academics.
Verdon-Smith international seminar room
Visitors and hosts are able to book excellent facilities across the University including lecture theatres, research spaces, and seminar rooms such as the Verdon-Smith room. This is fully equipped with modern AV facilities and can be booked out for hybrid seminars and meetings.
Further support from Research Development International
Our funding schemes sit within the wider Research Development International team, which means we can draw upon a range of knowledge and experience to support your collaboration as well as linking in with further funding opportunities to grow your project.
The city of Bristol
The Telegraph placed Bristol 3rd in its list of best cities in the UK (most recent results in 2025), reporting that it routinely tops rankings for happiest city, greenest city, foodiest city. It is also fairly compact and walkable so there is lots to explore in between work on your project.
State-of-the-art facilities
The University has a number of high-spec, state-of-the-art facilities that are technically supported and available for use by visiting academics. This includes the UK's fastest supercomputer, Isambard-AI, which is hosted at the National Composites Centre.
Working towards equitable research partnerships
The University has a cross-disciplinary commitment to championing transformation in collaborations with Global South research partners. The Pervoli Africa Research Centre (PARC) represents this commitment, with a mission to help advance a rebalancing of the global science and research ecosystem to ensure that African scholars, institutions and knowledges from the continent take their rightful place in the global scientific effort.