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www.manchester.ac.uk/business

Supporting the development of impact from researchJudith Gracey - Knowledge Transfer & Impact Coordinator

(RBESS)

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Why is it important?

“Our work must have an impact beyond academia and yield economic, social and cultural benefits whenever the opportunity arises.”

Manchester Strategic Vision 2020

Culture change necessary as we shift from thinking about:

Impact as post-project activity / extra Impact within academic circles (normal)

towards

Impact as core practice, integrated in the research project cycle, with ongoing evidence gathering

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Academic pressures

Impact planning and realistic costings

Capturing evidence and evaluation

Accessing support infrastructure

Responding to opportunities arising at short notice

Managing conflicting demands on time

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Internal support structure  Business Engagement/Knowledge Exchange

o connecting researchers with external partners

o Funding mechanisms for fostering collaborations and knowledge transfer include IAAs, KTPs, CiC..

University Library - E-scholar, Open Access, Social Media training, Altmetrics

University Museum - showcasing research, participatory research, public engagement, educational outreach, evaluation expertise

UMIP - Advice on intellectual property, licensing, social entrepreneurship, commercialisation executives assigned to Faculty/Schools.

Communications and Marketing - Research Beacons, Media Relations, Publications

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Supporting research impact

Pre-award• Impact summary• Pathways to Impact• Realistic costings

Post-award• Review impact plans• Signpost expertise• Identify support needs

Train the trainer session on Pathways to Impact with 25 Research Support Managers/PSS staff in July 2014 – P2I training with academics in EPS (Sept 2015).

RCUK has harmonised its approach:

“A clearly thought through and acceptable Pathways to Impact statement is an essential component of research proposals and a condition of funding.

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Resources and guidance on impact

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Capturing and evidencing impact

Addressing impact capture needs going forwards via:

o Gathering feedback for informing design for impact entity

within new research information management system

(PURE)

o Will enable us to link awards and activities to impacts and to

store evidence in a central repository

o Workstream currently looking at process mapping, user

roles, reporting needs, training and communication, etc.

o Will be important to distinguish between activities, emerging

impacts and impacts.

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Looking ahead……

Recognise that this is a long-term process of culture change. Excellent research is always the starting point.

Creating a stronger community of practice around impact at the University

E: Judith.Gracey@manchester.ac.uk

@UoM_Impact (Twitter)

http://www.manchester.ac.uk/research/impact/

http://www.staffnet.manchester.ac.uk/services/rbess/impact/