International Research Office

Supporting international research projects and partnerships
International flags and Smeaton's tower on Plymouth Hoe
 

Our international research – global solutions for global challenges

The University of Plymouth’s International Research Office (IRO) supports all aspects of international research engagement and encourages and promotes international partnerships that deliver impact across the globe.
International engagement enables our research at the University of Plymouth to directly tackle global challenges that affect us all. By working in partnership with international colleagues around the world, we have advanced our impact across a diverse set of fields. Whether shaping climate change policy or discovering groundbreaking medicines, the aim of all our international work is to have a transformational impact and make a positive difference to our planet and its people.

Our partnerships

Partnerships are vital to addressing global challenges. We are committed to building on existing partnerships and establishing new ones, where researchers and organisations can collaborate and combine their expertise.
 

Research and expertise

Our teams at the University are fast building critical mass in emerging areas such as agri-tech, antimicrobial resistance, cybersecurity and creative economies. International colleagues are vital to this work, collectively addressing key issues and working to support our global communities of the future. Exciting work is developing across countries, borders and disciplines to address projects of world significance.
Earth in space with blue networks connecting the world together.

A selection of our current global research projects

Landslide-earthquake damage to the Arniko Highway near the Nepal-China border (1280x720)

Predicting future landslides in the Himalayas

TULAY stroke patient event

Philippine community physical rehabilitation

A letter rack painted by Cornelis van der Meulen in 1673 (Credit Cornelius van der Meulen via Wikimedia Commons)

Separation and the global pandemic

Photo of an active fault, with the city of L’Aquila in the background valley

Quake 4D

Offroad vehicle in arid plains of East Africa

Soil erosion in East Africa

Farmers in rural Kenya (1280x720)

Delivering dementia screening to older adults within Makueni County, Kenya

police island

Determining what temperatures were like across North America during the Cretaceous-Palaeogene boundary

Scott Davidson tracking the colour of peatlands project - image of a green peatland against a blue sky

Tracking the Colour of Peatlands project

The island of Dhigelabadhoo in the Maldives is the main field site of the ARISE programme (Credit: University of Plymouth) 1280x720

Sea levels in the pacific ocean

Latest research news

Hands on fruit and veg fresh street community
Finding ways to fix the UK’s food system

Our research features extensively in evidence developed through a UK-wide project aimed at making the nation’s food healthier, fairer and greener

18 September 2025
 
 
 

Join the global research collective

The University of Plymouth’s International Research Office (IRO) is the main contact for international research engagement and provides leadership and coordination for all of our multinational relationships.
Research is a global undertaking, with significant funding opportunities available to support international collaborations. The University of Plymouth is an internationally connected institution, proud to welcome researchers and partners from around the world to our expanding global research collective that encourages cross-cultural understanding in a collaborative environment. 
If you have a project in mind, would like to partner with us to secure research funding or talk through potential collaborations, our International Research Office can help you.

  • <Supporting all partners to maximise global opportunities, reach and profile

  • )Offering resources to expedite and communicate research results

  • ÄAssisting with knowledge exchange

  • 'Stimulating world economic development by navigating research funding

Our international partners

International research funding opportunities

The International Research Office supports the funding of international research activity for academics and organisations from across the globe to collaborate on projects of global significance. The IRO has a variety of support resources and funding schemes to help the global research community and our prospective partners understand and navigate the international research landscape.
Find out how you can benefit from working on international research projects with us by emailing iro@plymouth.ac.uk.
 
Male postgraduate student talking to a member of staff in the student hub

Dual PhD scheme

A dual PhD is awarded jointly by two or more degree-awarding universities in partnership, giving students the opportunity to work with resources and faculties in multiple institutions. This type of study can provide extended career opportunities around the world, a broader academic impact, and a global perspective on research. 
Current dual PhD programmes
  • Marine Renewable Energy at Ocean University of China  

International student visas

If you are an international student who would like to apply for one of our postgraduate research degrees, it's likely that you will need a valid Student visa to study in the UK.
The way you will need to apply for this visa depends on where you are living when you apply.
Nadine Mashingaidze, international student
International students in the city centre laughing and walking.
International student in a library