Steven Hill Head of Research Policy RENU conference Middlesex University 30 October 2015 stevenhill Public money is invested in research in universities because it delivers broad benefits impact ID: 535646
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Fostering research impact: evidence from REF2014
Steven HillHead of Research PolicyRENU conference, Middlesex University30 October 2015
@
stevenhillSlide2
Public money is invested in research in universities because it delivers broad benefits (‘impact’):
Return on investment (at least 20% per annum)Leveraged additional investment (1.4x)Health and well-being (~10% for health benefits alone)
Cultural and societalEnvironmental
Public policy
[…]
How can universities maximize the impact delivered from their research?
The central questionSlide3
Evidence from the REF impact case studies
Evidence from high performing units
How can universities maximize the impact delivered from their research?Slide4
Analysis of the REF2014 results
Analysis of the REF2014 case studies (Digital Science, King's College London, published Mar 2015)
Characteristics of high performing units (King’s College London, RAND Europe, to be published autumn 2015)
Sources of evidenceSlide5Slide6
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Different types of impact are more common in different disciplines (1)
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Delivering impactSlide11
High impact is delivered by units that also deliver research of high academic quality
Delivering impactSlide12
Impact and other scores related, but not perfectlySlide13
High performance on impact and outputs generally asscoiatedSlide14
High impact is delivered by units that also deliver research of high academic quality
Impact derives from the integration of disciplinary knowledgeDelivering impactSlide15
There is a diverse range of impact pathways
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Patent citations of interdisciplinary researchSlide18
Volume of interdisciplinary researchSlide19
High impact is delivered by units that also deliver research of high academic quality
Impact derives from the integration of disciplinary knowledgeThere is some institutional specialisation in delivering impact
Delivering impactSlide20Slide21Slide22
High impact is delivered by units that also deliver research of high academic quality
Impact derives from the integration of disciplinary knowledgeThere is some institutional specialisation in delivering impactThe recruitment, retention and development of talented people is a key feature of high performing units
Delivering impactSlide23
High performing units:
Have higher proportions of professors, staff with PhDs, non-UK nationals and staff with previous employment overseasFocus on recruiting the best (especially early career researchers)Provide recruitment incentives (e.g. start-up packages, temporary relief from teaching duties)
Provide training and mentorship opportunitiesApply performance incentives (e.g. promotions, sabbaticals, funding)
PeopleSlide24
High impact is delivered by units that also deliver research of high academic quality
Impact derives from the integration of disciplinary knowledgeThere is some institutional specialisation in delivering impactThe recruitment, retention and development of talented people is a key feature of high performing units
High performing units have leaders with ‘accountable autonomy’ and display a distinct cultureDelivering impactSlide25
High performing units:
Have leaders who have earned the trust of their institutions and can act autonomouslyNurture a positive research culture“[Success derives from] a culture of excellence set by the leaders, which everybody buys into, and is therefore motivated by. In each of the individuals we hire, we expect a high degree of self-motivation. They are naturally competitive and our environment helps them thrive in that context.”
Have a distinct social and ethical ethos:Public focus, ‘making a difference’
High standardsCollegiate and supportive environment
Leadership and cultureSlide26
High impact is delivered by units that also deliver research of high academic quality
Impact derives from the integration of disciplinary knowledgeThere is some institutional specialisation in delivering impactThe recruitment, retention and development of talented people is a key feature of high performing units
High performing units have leaders with ‘accountable autonomy’ and display a distinct cultureHigh performing units have a strategy that is real, living and owned
Delivering impactSlide27
High performing units:
Recognise the need to mix ‘top-down’ and ‘bottom-up’ approaches to strategy“In reality everything is bottom up. Many universities have a management plan of ‘we must have a strategy and that will equate to results’. That is not effective, if you think about academic research, it’s about passion for research and you cannot fabricate it. Management strategies can get you mid-way, but you can never reach world leading through a top down approach”Have ‘living’ strategies
Stress the importance of process and buy-in in strategy setting“our strategy is real, but the process is as important as the product”
“Theme leads are assigned for teaching and research purposes, and form a research committee – functional leads as opposed to senior staff within the department – which produces a strategic medium-term document on research plans. This feeds up into a senior academic group made up of a wider group of departmental staff, who debate and agree the direction of research. The document also feeds into postgraduate teaching and training plans, and to the School research committee”
StrategySlide28
High impact is delivered by units that also deliver research of high academic quality
Impact derives from the integration of disciplinary knowledgeThere is some institutional specialisation in delivering impactThe recruitment, retention and development of talented people is a key feature of high performing units
High performing units have leaders with ‘accountable autonomy’ and display a distinct cultureHigh performing units have a strategy that is real, living and owned
Delivering impactSlide29
Thank you for listening
s.hill@hefce.ac.uk
@stevenhill