Research

We are one of the UK's leading centres for research into Computer Science.

The Department has world leading researchers in algorithms and complexity, artificial intelligence, bioinformatics, distributed and global computing, machine learning, software language engineering and type theory. The theories we develop lead to the design and building of novel practical computing systems, and their application in the real world. This is an essential element in validating our theories. It also generates opportunities for collaboration with industry and other institutions.

Research Funding

Our research funding comes from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, the European Union, the Department of Trade and Industry, the Royal Society, the British Council, the Nuffield Foundation, and from our broad network of industrial and government collaborators. All this creates a vibrant research environment in which research students learn and develop their own research profile under our guidance and supervision.

Centre of Excellence

Our status as one of the UK’s leading centres for research into Computer Science has been independently verified. Placed within the top 25% of Computer Science departments nationally for research quality, 95% of our research is assessed as world-leading and internationally excellent in terms of originality, significance and rigour in the most recent Research Excellence Framework (REF, 2021). These results are reinforced by our top 20 ranking for research in The Times and Sunday Times University Guide, 2023, and the latest metric-based computer science rankings from csrankings.org, 2022, where Royal Holloway ranks 3rd for Computer Science in the London Area, and 10th in the UK.

Our academics have also received prestigious awards: