What is research culture and why is I-REACCH crucial for University of Leicester?
Research is typically understood as a systematic approach to investigating subjects or topics in order to gain new insights and draw conclusions. While it is often associated with data, numbers, and experiments, research is much broader. It can also involve analysing text, images, and objects, conducting interviews, curating, creating, and more.
Research culture refers to the environment in which research is conducted, encompassing the values, behaviours, and practices of all those involved—researchers, participants, staff, and institutions. It involves how researchers are recruited, how information is shared, and how the direction of research is shaped.
The City of Leicester became one of the first UK cities to have a majority minority ethnic population, (59%, 2021 Census), but our staff do not reflect the population.
I-REACCH is crucial for addressing this gap by developing targeted strategies that break down the barriers to creating a more inclusive research culture, ensuring that research at Leicester better reflects and serves the diverse communities it aims to impact.