Our Research

Our research uses innovative methods and critical thinking from today to shape robust decisions for tomorrow.

  • Hands holding seedlings, implying modern sustainable agriculture, photo by Worawut/Adobe Stock

    Developing future scenarios for the sustainable use of pesticides

    There is a complex landscape surrounding pesticide use, which needs to be addressed holistically across all contexts, including political, legal, economic, societal, technological and environmental. The inherent variation across regions must also be considered, in an increasingly globalised context.

  • Close-up on a blue open sign in the window of a shop displaying the message: Staff wanted., photo by BreizhAtao/Adobe Stock

    Assessing labour market and skills demand via horizon scanning and future scenarios

    A horizon scan of the UK labour market identified key drivers and emerging trends, and created scenarios of what the labour market could look like in the future. Researchers found that education and training systems need to teach broad concepts and foundation skills and that digital skills are critical to the future of most jobs.

  • Stars and galaxy outer space sky night universe black starry background of starfield, photo by Iuliia Sokolovska/Adobe Stock

    Future uses of space out to 2050

    To support the UK's National Space Strategy and ensure that it is more ‘future proof’, researchers recommend the UK work more closely with allies, foster innovation, and more.

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    UK strategy for the High North: Navigating a changing environment

    Researchers offer a perspective on how the UK could maximise its influence in the High North through enhanced cooperation across government and within multilateral fora in order to tackle environmental and geopolitical changes in the region.

  • Signpost silhouetted in the sunset, photo by Mato/Adbode Stock

    Why Did Nobody See It Coming? How Scenarios Can Help Us Prepare for the Future in an Uncertain World

    Scenarios are a useful tool for informing policy, guiding strategies, and accommodating future change. Using scenario planning to target potential problems or areas for development and building resilience can pinpoint robust policies that could be viable across a range of future states.

  • European strategic autonomy in defence and implications for NATO, U.S., and EU relations

    Researchers examined the meaning of European strategic autonomy in defence and its implications for the U.S., NATO and EU-U.S. relations using a scenario methodology and transatlantic expert consultation.

  • Geirangerfjord in Norway, a Unesco World Heritage site, photo by MyWorld/Adobe Stock

    Tackling societal challenges and guiding the future of research and innovation in Norway

    Researchers identified 20 priority missions and 10 structural measures that could help the Research Council of Norway to develop a strong and resilient research and innovation environment across a range of strategic areas.

  • Double exposure of man holding a credit card, with data theme drawing, photo by peshkova/Adobe Stock

    Future scenarios of the Credit Information Market

    Researchers identified four plausible scenarios of how the credit information market might develop in five to ten years’ time, as well as five key drivers of change.

  • Conceptual representation of the protection and interaction of the personal data of the inhabitants of the planet and industrial data using artificial intelligence and the Internet of things, photo by kosssmosss/Adobe Stock

    How AI can support the European Border and Coast Guard

    Three baseline gaps should be addressed to maximise the opportunities provided by artificial intelligence in European border security: knowledge gaps between stakeholder groups; organisational, structural, cultural and expertise gaps; and broader gaps in the evidence base.

  • Tech binary code dark red background, photo by WhataWin/AdobeStock

    Cyber Threats to NATO from a Multi-Domain Perspective

    Fully understanding future cyber threats to NATO necessitates looking beyond trends in cyberspace and considering how these shape and are shaped by threats in or across other operational domains. How might adversaries employ cyber capabilities to gain an advantage over NATO forces?

  • Digital code on dark red background with world map, illustration by WhataWin/Adobe Stock

    The impact of new and emerging technologies on the cyber threat landscape and their implications for NATO

    Using futures methods, researchers explore some of the key technology trends for the coming decade and their potential implications for the future cyber threat landscape and NATO. They also examine challenges that could emerge from individual technologies and complex interactions between them.

  • Skull hologram on modern computer background, cybercrime and hacking concept, photo by Igor/Adobe Stock

    Technology and the future of cybercrime

    To prepare for and mitigate the impact of emerging technologies on cybercrime, Estonia could consider broad anti-cybercrime capacity building; seek legal, regulatory and organisational agility; and invest in technological expertise, skills and research.

  • Senior scientist observes new breed of cress sprouts optimized for consumption in greenhouse

    Using foresight to examine the global food system

    On behalf of the UK Food Standards Agency, RAND Europe conducted foresight exercises to gain a long-term perspective on the global food system. The team used a three horizons framework and bespoke horizon scanning approach to identify threats and opportunities for the UK and wider global food system out to 2030.

  • Shoes and arrows pointing in different directions on asphalt floor, photo by Delphine Poggianti/Adobe Stock

    Scenarios help explore the future of education and youth in the EU

    Researchers developed a set of scenarios to explore the future of education and youth in the EU, and found that personalised learning policies could be helpful across all scenarios if funded sufficiently and targeted appropriately. Supporting and reinforcing the teaching profession is also key.

  • Man in a field looking at the horizon, photo by Thomas Barwick/Getty Images

    How Horizon Scanning Can Give the Military a Technological Edge

    Horizon scanning could promote innovative practices and innovation uptake, through the adoption of new ideas, equipment, and methods, with benefits that could positively affect the UK economy as a whole. But a wider mechanism for processing and assessing the selected developments would be needed.

  • Working on a computer

    Violent Extremism Evaluation Measurement (VEEM) Framework

    A key challenge in counter violent extremism evaluation is the lack of commonly agreed metrics to measure behavioural changes in people. RAND Europe researchers developed a web-based framework that lists behavioural categories, attributes, and suggested measurement tools.

  • Cyber data map of Europe

    Exploring Europe's defence capability requirements for 2035 and beyond

    Researchers employed horizon scanning methodology to identify new and emerging technologies, strategies and societal developments that might affect capability requirements extending to 2035. The team also developed a range of scenarios used in the context of a table-top exercise analysing the capability implications of future conflicts and operations.

  • Secretary Tillerson Addresses the 10th Arctic Council Ministerial Meeting in Fairbanks

    The future of Arctic cooperation in a changing strategic environment

    The study examined factors that could potentially upset Arctic cooperation in the coming decade. Participants in a table-top exercise considered the reactions of stakeholders to successive events designed to trigger responses that ranged from low-intensity to potential conflict.

  • Human hand holding MRSA colonies on blood agar plate

    Using historical foresight to tackle antimicrobial resistance (AMR)

    Researchers are examining complex and enduring policy issues that have implications for public health (climate change and tobacco control) to gain a new perspective on how to tackle AMR. The team will look at how historical analysis can be used in future approaches to scenario planning and policymaking, with a particular focus on AMR policy.

  • Syrian and Iraqi refugees arrive from Turkey to Skala Sykamias, Lesbos island, Greece, where Spanish volunteers help them in October 2015

    Mediterranean Foresight Forum

    The Mediterranean Foresight Forum (MFF) was a RAND-funded effort to connect political, social, economic and technological developments in the region with policy agendas. The MFF supported the development of comprehensive, integrated civil-military responses to complex challenges through an innovative combination of research, future scenario-based sensitivity analysis and table top-exercises.

  • Autonomous self-driving driverless vehicle with radar on the road

    Examining future transport scenarios to drive innovation in the UK

    The UK’s roads, railways and airports are some of the most congested in the world. At the request of Innovate UK, RAND Europe identified emerging technologies that could impact the transport network and developed three future travel scenarios to explore how they might make the transport system more efficient and effective by the year 2035.