Community Research Initiative

Welcome to the Community Research Initiative

Also known as "CRIS" to our friends

We bring people together across the student-community divide to explore the possibility of co-designing research to create a positive social impact. Whether its through your course or as a volunteer, our programme is here to take your research skills from classroom to community.

Explore our offers

Masters programmes

PhD programmes

Undergraduate programmes

Curious about how your research could make a difference?

Working with a UCL student has made a massive impact on our organisation, particularly because we are so grassroots and wouldn't have been able to do this research on our own.
-South Asian Health Action

Check out our full impact gallery

Join us at an upcoming Community Research Initiative event

Events & Activities

Community Research Initiative Showcase 2026

09/09/2026 | 14:00 - 16:00

Join the Community Research Initiative (or CRIS to our friends) for our annual celebration of our students and communities who did something a little different and worked to co-create research for social impact. This year, we’ll be highlighting our student leaders and community leaders who have bridged the uni

Give it a Go

Community Research In Action Field Trip

29/09/2026 | 14:00 - 17:00

Want to see community research in action? Join us on our immersive field trip with the Young V&A’s Designer in the Shed, Christie Swallow, for a community-centred exploration of how we can build stronger relationships with the human and non-human neighbours who share our city.

Give it a Go

Skills for Community Engaged Research Taster

14/10/2026 | 17:00 - 19:00

Ever wondered how to make a genuine impact with your research? Come along to this free skills workshop where you’ll learn what it means to research with and for communities.“It has brought a really interesting group together and made me feel part of the UCL research community.” - A student who joined one of our events for the first time last year!