CURDS is based in the School of Geography, Politics and Sociology at Newcastle University.
Its aims are to produce academically rigorous and policy relevant research in urban and regional change, development and policy.
Since its establishment in 1977, CURDS has generated over £35 million of research income from:

• National research councils
• Public and private bodies
• International organisations
• UK national, local and regional government and institutions

CURDS has contributed to Geography’s submission to the UK’s Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021 which ranked a remarkable 95% of research in Geography and Environmental Studies at Newcastle as ‘world leading’ (40%) or ‘internationally excellent’ (55%) in originality, significance and rigour.

CURDS provided 2 of Geography’s 5 Impact Case Studies for REF 2021 on ‘improving subnational economic development in the UK’ and ‘setting international standards for official labour market boundaries’.