UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) has launched an upgraded version of its Gateway to Research (GtR) platform, making it quicker and easier for users to explore publicly funded research and innovation across the UK

GtR is open to everyone, with no registration or sign-in required. The updated service is designed to improve reliability, accessibility, and the overall user experience, helping researchers, businesses, policymakers, and members of the public find the information they need more easily.

A clearer picture of UK research

GtR provides access to information about projects funded by UKRI’s research councils and Innovate UK. Users can explore project details, discover who is involved, view funding awarded and find out what research has produced.

The platform currently contains information on more than 191,000 UKRI-funded projects, including 32,853 that are still ongoing. It also features over 1.2 million linked publications and more than one million research outcomes.

These outcomes include new products, business partnerships, spin-out companies and research that has helped shape government policy.

By bringing this information together, the platform offers a valuable insight into the impact of public investment in research and innovation.

Improved data and accessibility

The new service follows a review of UKRI’s publication rules, which were last updated in 2022. As a result, the database now includes a more complete record of UKRI investment, including additional awards from previous years.

Data updates will also occur monthly instead of every three months, giving users access to more up-to-date information.

The redesigned platform has been developed and tested with existing users, with clearer project pages and improvements to accessibility.

Testing showed that usability scores increased from 74.8 to 88.3, above the industry average of 68. Overall satisfaction also rose from 76% to 100%, while the proportion of users unable to complete tasks on project pages fell from 38% to zero.

Supporting future research and collaboration

The improvements are expected to make it easier for researchers to identify potential collaborators, for businesses to discover expertise, and for policymakers to understand the UK’s research landscape.

UKRI has also introduced a new application programming interface (API). Users who currently rely on the existing API will need to update their tools to continue accessing the service.

The upgraded Gateway to Research represents another step towards making publicly funded research more accessible, transparent and useful to the people who rely on it.