The UKRI strategy for 2026 to 2031 sets out a clear direction for UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) to deliver outcomes for the UK public over the next five years, recognising that the policy, economic and global context will continue to evolve.
UKRI outlines a Strategy designed to provide a consistent framework for action, aligned with government priorities, with enough flexibility to respond to new and emerging opportunities.
It is structured around UKRI’s mission to:
- advance knowledge
- improve lives
- drive growth
Working with partners, UKRI states it will strengthen the UK’s research and innovation system and deliver economic, social, environmental and cultural benefit across the UK by:
- supporting curiosity-driven research
- addressing government and societal priorities
- helping companies start, scale and stay in the UK
- strengthening the foundations of the research and innovation system
- reforming the organisation
The associated UKRI Delivery Plan also sets out the actions UKRI will take over the next year to deliver the ambitious new strategy and our mission to advance knowledge, improve lives and drive growth.
Materials
UKRI’s new five-year strategy positions advanced materials as a foundational capability for delivering economic growth, national resilience and societal impact. Rather than treating materials as a standalone research discipline, the strategy recognises advanced materials as an enabling technology that underpins many of the UK’s highest-priority sectors, including clean energy, advanced manufacturing, batteries and electrification, semiconductors, defence, critical minerals and digital technologies.
Advanced materials form part of UKRI’s £1.3 billion Advanced Manufacturing Priority Programme, reflecting their importance in supporting productivity, innovation and industrial competitiveness. This commitment is further strengthened by the £80 million National Materials Innovation Programme, funded by the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) following the Industrial Strategy announcement and delivered primarily as a cross-council programme through UKRI.
The strategy also highlights the need for secure supply chains, critical minerals intelligence, energy security and semiconductor leadership, reinforcing the central role of materials innovation in addressing both economic and geopolitical challenges.
Regions
Regional innovation is a central theme of UKRI’s strategy, with £500 million committed through the new Local Innovation Partnerships Fund (LIPF) to support place-based investment.
UKRI will continue to work with businesses, universities, civic institutions and devolved governments to build on regional strengths, including advanced materials and manufacturing, ensuring innovation investment reflects the distinctive assets of communities across the UK.
By backing innovation clusters, talent pipelines and research infrastructure, the strategy aims to drive productivity, economic growth and global competitiveness while delivering tangible benefits to people and places nationwide.
It also highlights the Henry Royce Institute as the UK’s national institute for advanced materials research and innovation, acknowledging Royce’s role in providing world-class facilities, expertise and skills that enable researchers and industry to tackle national priorities.
Read the full strategy here.
You can also watch a video here.
