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Public Attitudes to R&D and Universities 2026

09 Jan 2026

This briefing summarises public attitudes to R&D and universities. It is based on evidence from extensive quantitative and qualitative research carried out by CaSE since 2022. Full results can be found on CaSE’s Public Opinion Research pages.

Key points include:

  • Universities’ role in UK R&D is not instinctively clear.
  • Universities are well trusted and seen in a positive light.
  • As local anchor institutions, universities can build on strong public appetite for more information and involvement with R&D.
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I knew about the University of Essex, because my niece went there, so I did know about it, but I didn’t know exactly that they did all of the research there. I knew they had students there, but I didn’t know about the research side of things.

Female, 45-54, Clacton

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