The Global Urban Research Unit (GURU) is home to world-leading scholars and researchers, renowned for theoretical and empirical contributions to the field. 

Many organisations fund our multi-million research portfolio, including: national and international research funding bodies, charitable organisations, government institutions. 

Our engagement with policy, practice, and community activities have generated award-winning research impacts. Our research focuses around five themes:

• environmental planning
• identities, culture, and heritage
• infrastructure and digital technologies
• people, place, and politics
• urban design and human flourishing

Our research themes cut across conventional disciplines and specialist fields. They generate informed, sound, and impactful outcomes. Our research attracts high profile visiting professors and scholars from across the globe, including international collaborators.

We foster a dynamic and stimulating research environment, inclusive of researchers from various backgrounds and career stages — for example, postdoctoral researchers. We create a thriving, collegial, and supportive environment for our researchers and students, providing intellectual development and social wellbeing. Our weekly research seminars series reflect this inclusive culture.

We hold leading positions in many established Newcastle University Centres of Research Excellence (NUCoRE). This includes: 

• NU Centre for Cities
• NU Centre for Heritage
• collaborating with other research institutes across our University and beyond

GURU is home to the International Journal of Environmental Planning and Management.

GURU Director: Professor Jeremy Crampton