The Lincolnshire Cultural Heritage Research Hub

Established in 1862, Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) is a small university located in the heart of historic Lincoln.

Over recent years, a specialist creative and cultural research and knowledge exchange cluster has formed in the university's Department of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences.

The creation of the Lincolnshire Cultural Heritage Research (LCHR) Hub provides BGU's researchers new exciting opportunities to enhance, and broaden the range of world-class research they undertake, which builds on the performance of the university's submission to the History Unit of Assessment for REF2021: of which 12% of overall quality profile was judged to be 'world leading' and 20% of outputs were rated 4*.

The REF2021 submission also included an Impact Case Study (ICS) entitled 'Historic medieval settlement landscapes: community history and archaeology, and cultural heritage preservation'.

Creation of the LCHR Hub will allow BGU to build on the best practice learnt from this ICS to achieve wider societal impact and meet their civic responsibilities.

In addition, access to the facilities and resources of the LCHR Hub is open to community groups across Lincolnshire and the wider region.

Equipment that was previously beyond the financial means of most local groups is now readily available, allowing these organisations to lead on their own research projects. The LCHR Hub and its equipment is also accessible by the region's creative and cultural sector.

Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) and freelancers now have the resources to not only be more competitive, but also expand their research capabilities, which will strengthen the sector and encourage economic growth.