How we work

We work with colleagues from across the whole university who are social scientists or who want to collaborate with social scientists.

LSSI supports social scientists across the university, regardless of the school or faculty where an individual is based.  We also support researchers from other disciplines and those from external organisations who want to engage in interdisciplinary research or knowledge exchange activity with Leeds social scientists.  We are supported by 5 core faculties at The University of Leeds (Arts, Humanities & Cultures, Faculty of Environment, Faculty of Medicine & Health, Leeds University Business School and the Faculty of Social Sciences).

• We provide support and development opportunities for Post Graduate Researchers and Early Career Researchers and build capacity and capability for all, particularly through supporting individuals and groups new to knowledge exchange, working with non-academic partners or interdisciplinary research.
• We coordinate and link those with similar interests and complementary expertise across schools, faculties, different disciplinary areas and beyond the university to create new conversations and ways of thinking about challenges and find new ways forward.
• We work across scales, recognising that synthesising levels of analysis provides rich insights into different aspects of societal challenges, deepening our understanding and strengthening the potential to successfully address them. The granular detail of research at individual human or community scale is both affected by and in turn influences challenges at systemic or global scales.
• We operate in multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and transdisciplinary modes.
• We support methodological developments and provide skills training to enhance capacity for interdisciplinary and collaborative research, and to strengthen the social sciences more broadly, through the White Rose DTP and beyond.
• Impact is at the heart of what we do: partnerships beyond the academy are critical to enacting real-world change. Across the ESRC Impact Acceleration Account, the Leeds City Council Review of Collaborations, Co-production at The University of Leeds and our international partnerships, LSSI advocates for, resources and supports social science research to make a difference.

LSSI support mechanisms:

1. Providing resources through the IAA to maximise the impact and influence of social science research on non-academic beneficiaries and to foster non-academic stakeholder engagement.
2. Organising workshops, events, and training to support building interdisciplinary networks, develop research ideas and build capability and capacity.
3. Supporting integration of social science research into large, interdisciplinary funding applications.