A case study submitted to the Research Excellence Framework 2014 demonstrating the impact of the University's research.
Research by Professor Donna Landry of the School of English led her on a journey that followed in the hoof-prints of the 17th-century Ottoman writer and traveller, Evliya Çelebi. As part of Professor Landry’s investigation of Turkey’s equestrian traditions, she and other members of the project re-traced a section of Çelebi’s 1671 journey to Mecca on horseback.
The project inspired the creation of a new UNESCO Cultural Route called the Evliya Çelebi Way. As a walking, cycling and riding route, it helps to encourage sustainable tourism in Turkey and enhances the public’s understanding of the region’s Ottoman heritage.
The Research Excellence Framework 2014 showed that Kent ranks 17th in the UK for research intensity, has world-leading research in all subjects and that 97% of our research is deemed to be of international quality.
Contributing to the University’s REF success were the number of our world class publications, the number of research active staff and the demonstrable impact our research has made to the sciences and to economic, social and cultural understanding.