What is the Harrison Institute in Sevenoaks, UK?

The Harrison Institute is a biodiversity research and conservation organisation that, for almost a century, has worked with local students, scientists and communities across Africa and Asia. Its focus is on discovering, describing and conserving biodiversity — especially small mammals such as bats — and, more recently, birds in the Himalayas. It is best understood as a research-and-mentoring institute rather than a visitor attraction or a general environmental charity: its work combines scientific research, long-term mentoring and international collaboration to strengthen local leadership in biodiversity-rich but under-studied regions.

What the Harrison Institute does

The institute's stated mission is to discover, describe and conserve Asian and African biodiversity, working alongside the people who live closest to it. Three strands run through its work:

• Discovering biodiversity — field research and scientific description of species, particularly small mammals.
• Developing scientific capacity — mentoring students and early-career scientists, often through long-term collaborations with university staff and students.
• Conserving nature — turning research findings into practical conservation outcomes.

A guiding belief shapes this approach: biodiversity is best conserved when the scientists and communities who live alongside it have the opportunity to study, understand and protect it.

Where it works and what it specialises in

The emphasis on bats is notable. Bats are diverse, ecologically important and comparatively under-studied in many tropical regions, which makes them a natural fit for an institute oriented toward discovery and local capacity-building.

A century of history — and a recent move

The Harrison Institute was based in Sevenoaks, Kent, for 96 years. It has since begun a new chapter at the University of Exeter's Penryn Campus in Cornwall. According to the institute, the move opens opportunities for research collaboration, student mentoring and biodiversity conservation, while strengthening its long-standing international partnerships and scientific collections.

This matters if you are trying to locate or contact the institute: its historic association with Sevenoaks is real, but its current base is the Penryn Campus in Cornwall.

An example of its work: new bat species from Cameroon

One illustration of how the institute operates is the case of Aicha Gomeh-Djame, a PhD student from Cameroon mentored through the Harrison Institute. She led the discovery of two bat species new to science. The institute presents this work as highlighting both the remarkable biodiversity of Central African forests and the importance of developing the next generation of conservation scientists.

The example is useful because it shows the model in practice: international collaboration, local scientific leadership, and research that feeds directly into understanding and conserving biodiversity.

Who this information is useful for

• Students and early-career researchers looking for mentoring or collaborative research opportunities in biodiversity-rich regions.
• Universities and research groups interested in international partnerships on small mammals, bats or birds.
• Conservation organisations and funders wanting to understand the institute's approach to capacity-building.
• Anyone trying to place the name — for instance, after encountering it in a paper, a species description or a news story about the Sevenoaks-to-Cornwall move.

If your interest is in visiting, volunteering or donating, note that the available information describes the institute's research, mentoring and collaboration work rather than public programmes or admission details. For specifics on current projects, partnerships or how to get involved, the institute's own site is the appropriate starting point.