Expressing research spirit

Question

When speaking about a university that has great a research department, where all of the students are fascinated of research and development, what is the best expression to describe this?

Maybe there is a great research-spirit? Is this correct English and are there better possibilities to express this quality?

Answer 1

Great question, black. Your homemade expression conveys the general idea but it would stand out as something that native speakers wouldn't really say. There are a few different ways that we could tackle this.

The most common in the education field would be to call it a research-oriented university, although this can also imply that they're focused on research as opposed to instruction (e.g., great professors, 600-person lecture halls). For more precise meaning, I would encourage my students in this situation to step away from the desire for an expression and say what they really mean.

The students and faculty of the Cognitive Science Department have a great zeal for research.

Alternatively, zest would focus more on their enthusiasm and passion. The main point is to use a structure that might not focus on research per se, but still emphasizes their focus on, fondness for, or abilities in the underlying pursuit. If you haven't practiced "a great deal of," it's useful.

Answer 2

This is a really broad question since there is no singular way of describing it.

Research-oriented spirit might be one way.

Some examples for research descriptions are

"Stanford research is remarkable in both its breadth and depth. Stanford research programs reflect the expertise, creativity and initiative of the faculty who set the research agenda."

"Research at MIT aims to develop innovative solutions to the world’s most daunting challenges. From addressing the energy needs of tomorrow to improving cancer therapies, MIT’s research efforts are enhanced through creative collaborations with leading research institutes and consortia around the world."

"In Cambridge, we are committed to achieving excellence in research and scholarship, and to ensuring that our research contributes to the well-being of society."

"The range of research activities at Harvard is broad and deep. Harvard scholars conduct research in almost every field, and seek to expand human knowledge through analysis, innovation, and insight."

All these, as well as other institutions to numerous to include here, are well known for their research departments. As you can see, there are some common threads in the descriptions.