Founded in 1989, DICE sets itself apart from more traditionally-minded academic institutions by carrying out teaching, training and research with an applied conservation focus that breaks down the barriers between the natural and the social sciences.
DICE has a clear mission:
To conserve biodiversity and the ecological processes that support ecosystems and people, by developing capacity and improving conservation management and policy through high-impact research.
In 2019 DICE was awarded a prestigious Queen’s Anniversary Prize in recognition of our excellence, innovation and benefits to the wider world through “pioneering education, capacity building and research in global nature conservation to protect species and ecosystems and benefit people”.
In the UK Government’s Research Excellent Framework 2021 we ranked first for our publications in the Geography & Environmental Studies panel.
DICE is one of four institutes at the University of Kent.