The research of SEEC covers a broad range of economic issues arising in energy and related markets. SEEC has conducted research across the whole spectrum of energy economics, including the international oil market, North Sea oil and gas, UK and international coal, gas privatisation and regulation, electricity privatisation and regulation, measurement of efficiency in energy industries, energy and development, energy demand modelling and forecasting, and energy and the environment.

CIMS focuses its research on open-economy macro-modelling and monetary/fiscal policy issues in particular, employing and developing state-of-the-art modelling techniques to achieve this. We are particularly well placed to engage with the policy debate that has emerged on how, in an interdependent world, monetary and fiscal policy, alongside new banking regulations and new monetary instruments, should be designed to support price stability and growth in the post-credit-crunch world. CIMS has a strong national and international network of collaborators which, among other things, supports its highly original research into macroeconomic policy in developing countries and the role of the ‘hidden economy’ in macroeconomic policy.

Applied microeconomics research at the University takes a variety of forms, including theoretical analysis of particular issues, empirical analysis (including collection of new data sets) and multidisciplinary research; in general, the emphasis is on theoretical and empirical analyses of ‘real-world’ problems and policy issues. Examples include labour markets, industrial organisation, regulation, business competitiveness, and crime and legal services. The Applied Microeconomics Group provides a focus for this research, via regular meetings and workshops to discuss research ideas. 

The Health Research Group focuses on health economics and health services research. Much of its work is interdisciplinary and has direct practical relevance. The group has attracted research grants for evaluative studies and systematic reviews. Papers have been published in core economics and health journals.

This unique group blends the study of radio engineering techniques and economics to examine the effects of different allocation methods for radio spectrum and the welfare effects of alternative communication technologies. Themes include spectrum auctions and trading, spectrum pricing and measuring the economic benefits of the more efficient use of spectrum. The group engages in a significant amount of multidisciplinary work and collaborates closely with the University’s Centre for Communication Systems Research, the Smith Institute (Oxford) and commercial organisations such as QinetiQ and Vodafone.

In addition to an understanding of the fundamental biological effects of foods and nutrients on health, there is a crucial need to understand consumer behaviour and choice of  foods and to integrate these insights with those from the biological sciences.

FCBHRC offers a solution to integrate the social and biological sciences needed to address these crucial issues. The major driving force behind the research centre is the need to translate basic biological knowledge on food safety, diet and health in order to facilitate the improvement of people’s lives.

RESOLVE is a new and exciting collaboration located entirely within the University of Surrey, involving four internationally acclaimed departments: the Centre for Environmental Strategy, the Surrey Energy Economics Centre, the Environmental Psychology Research Group and the Department of Sociology. Funded by ESRC, RESOLVE aims to unravel the complex links between lifestyles, values and the environment.