Which animals and regions does the Harrison Institute focus its research on?

The Harrison Institute focuses primarily on small mammals, especially bats from the Palaeotropics, and works across Africa and Asia. More recently it has also collaborated on bird research in the Himalayas. Its work centres on biodiversity-rich but under-studied regions, combining research with training local students, scientists and communities.

Animals: small mammals first, bats in particular

The Institute's stated focus is small mammals, with bats from the Palaeotropics as the main group. Birds are a newer addition, through collaboration on Himalayan bird research. The common thread is fauna that is diverse but often poorly documented, where describing species and building local expertise can feed directly into conservation.

A concrete example from the Institute's own reporting: Aicha Gomeh-Djame, a PhD student from Cameroon mentored through the Harrison Institute, led the discovery of two bat species new to science. That case shows how the animal focus (bats) and the capacity-building model (mentoring a local researcher) operate together.

Regions: Africa and Asia, with long-term local partnerships

Fieldwork and partnerships span Africa and Asia. Cameroon is one documented example, tied to the bat discoveries above. The Himalayan bird research extends the geographic range into Asia. The Institute describes its target as biodiversity-rich but under-studied regions, which is the selection criterion behind where it works rather than a fixed list of countries.

How the research is organised

The Institute pairs scientific research with long-term mentoring and international collaboration, aiming to strengthen local leadership for conservation. In practice this means working alongside university staff, students and communities in the regions where the research happens, rather than running extractive fieldwork. If you are looking for a partner, supervisor or collaborator, the relevant question is whether your region and taxon fall within small mammals, bats or birds in Africa and Asia.

Institutional note

After 96 years in Sevenoaks, Kent, the Harrison Institute has moved to the University of Exeter's Penryn Campus in Cornwall. The move is described as opening opportunities for research collaboration, student mentoring and conservation work while maintaining its international partnerships and scientific collections. For anyone contacting or visiting the Institute, the current base is Penryn, not Sevenoaks.