Transcript Impact Strategy Group (ISG)

Impact: Climate Knowledge Exchange Network
27th June, 2012
The ‘Higher Ambitions’ for Impact
•
The REF should take better account of the impact research makes on the
economy and society
•
The REF should continue to incentivise research excellence, but also
reflect the quality of researchers’ contribution to public policy making and
to public engagement, and not create disincentives to researchers
moving between academia and the private sector
•
Those institutions that can demonstrate a track record of delivering
impact from their research will be rewarded
•
This will help us understand and reinforce over time the way in which
different funding choices are creating economic impact
•
This will complement the continuing focus of the Research Councils in
driving up the economic impact of the research base
The ‘Higher Ambitions’ for Impact
•
The REF should take better account of the impact research makes on the
economy and society
•
The REF should continue to incentivise research excellence, but also
reflect the quality of researchers’ contribution to public policy making and
to public engagement, and not create disincentives to researchers
moving between academia and the private sector
•
Those institutions that can demonstrate a track record of delivering
impact from their research will be rewarded
•
This will help us understand and reinforce over time the way in which
different funding choices are creating economic impact
•
This will complement the continuing focus of the Research Councils in
driving up the economic impact of the research base
Alan Mathison Turing, English
mathematician and computer
scientist
Fred Inglis, Emeritus Professor
of Cultural Studies at the
University of Sheffield
Turing and Inglis: an ‘Igniting Slur’?
• “Wherever one goes in the present-day British
University, one finds not just general but
universal agreement as to the fatuity of the
“impact” criterion in the revoltingly named
research excellence framework......... The
language of the REF is everywhere flatulent
and frequently mendacious, never more so
than when defining impact ....it sounds bloody
ludicrous”.
Enhanced professional
standards, ethics,
guidelines or training
Improved health or
welfare outcomes
Improved quality,
accessibility or efficiency of
a public service
Most effective
management or
workplace practices
Production costs have
reduced
Levels of waste
have reduced
New forms of artistic
expression or changes to
creative practice
Improved business
performance
Research has enabled stakeholders to
challenge conventional wisdom
Enhanced preservation,
conservation or presentation
of cultural heritage
Jobs have been created
or protected
Improved risk
management
Improved access to justice,
employment or education
Research has informed public
understanding, values, attitudes or
behaviours
The policies or activities of NGO’s or
charities have been informed by research
Changes in professional
practice
Public debate has been shaped
or informed by research
Changes to the design or delivery of
the school curriculum
A social enterprise
initiative has been created
Improved forensic
methods or expert
systems
Improved management
or conservation of
natural resources
Changes to legislation
or regulations
Enhanced technical
standards or
protocols
Policy debate or decisions have been
influenced or shaped by research
Organisations have adapted to
changing cultural values
Enhanced corporate social
responsibility policies
A new product has been
commercialised
ev·i·dence noun, verb, ev·i·denced,
ev·i·denc·ing.
• noun
– 1. that which tends to prove or disprove something;
ground for belief; proof.
– 2. something that makes plain or clear;
– 3. Law . data presented to a court or jury in proof of the
facts in issue and which may include the testimony of
witnesses, records, documents, or objects.
• verb (used with object)
– 4. to make evident or clear; show clearly; manifest;
– 5. to support by evidence.
Measures
Improved
Documented changes Evidence
from audit change in guidelines
enhanced awareness public understanding Critical reviews
public debate Increased
Documented shift
service changeBusiness performance measures
Sales
Demonstrable collaborations Commercial adoption policy
debate
Changes
Influence
Published
Verifiable influence
Traceable reference Priority shifts
Visitor or audience numbers and feedback Attainment
Engagement Standards, protocols, codes
ImprovementsCitation
Parliamentary or other democratic debate Visitor or audience
numbers Quantitative data
Publication and
sales figures
Growth
Data Inclusion
Descriptions Information
Agreements Acknowledgements Evaluations
Measures
Improved
Documented changes Evidence
from audit change in guidelines
enhanced awareness public understanding Critical reviews
public debate Increased
Documented shift
service changeBusiness performance measures
Sales
Demonstrable collaborations Commercial adoption policy
debate
Changes
Influence
Published
Verifiable influence
Traceable reference Priority shifts
Visitor or audience numbers and feedback Attainment
Engagement Standards, protocols, codes
ImprovementsCitation
Parliamentary or other democratic debate Visitor or audience
numbers Quantitative data
Publication and
sales figures
Growth
Data Inclusion
Descriptions Information
Agreements Acknowledgements Evaluations
Measures
Improved
Documented changes Evidence
from audit change in guidelines
enhanced awareness public understanding Critical reviews
public debate Increased
Documented shift
service changeBusiness performance measures
Sales
Demonstrable collaborations Commercial adoption policy
debate
Changes
Influence
Published
Verifiable influence
Traceable reference Priority shifts
Visitor or audience numbers and feedback Attainment
Engagement Standards, protocols, codes
ImprovementsCitation
Parliamentary or other democratic debate Visitor or audience
numbers Quantitative data
Publication and
sales figures
Growth
Data Inclusion
Descriptions Information
Agreements Acknowledgements Evaluations
Definitions
• Impact:
– An effect on, change or benefit to the economy,
society, culture, public policy or services, health,
the environment or quality of life, beyond
academia
• Evidence:
– Something demonstrable that is both verifiable
and traceable to underpinning research carried
out by the submitting unit
Interdisciplinary Impact:
the 3G Telecom Auction
• £22.47 billion raised for the taxpayer – enough
money to fund 400 new hospitals – from RCUK
funded research.
• The auction was designed by a team of
economists from the ESRC Centre for Economic
Learning and Social Evolution (ELSE) based at
University College London using game theory to
develop the discipline of mechanism design.
• Its success was therefore seen as a spectacular
demonstration of the value of government
investment in blue skies research.
Climate Change Impacts
Interdisciplinary Impact and
Climate Change
• “Flooded roads, blocked railway lines and
devastated homes – the severe flooding last
autumn in Britain and other European countries
reminded us how vulnerable modern society can
be to extreme weather ....... The main challenge
facing business in making sense of climate change
lies in the complexity and uncertainty of its
impacts.... To address these questions, we need
interdisciplinary research”.
• April 2001, The Edge, ESRC magazine
What is Exeter doing about impact?
1. Impact Review Group (IRG): reviewing all case studies and
statements yearly and providing feedback
2. Impact Strategy Group (ISG) identifying impact strategies for the
REF and for RCUK at local, national and international level, and
facilitating their implementation
3. Support and Funding: To calibrate or test impact at the University
with external expertise and advice, including guidance from lay
members of Council.
4. DESCRIBE project: £100k of external funding to undertake a
systematic review of the evidence for Impact
5. The Exeter Catalyst for the Public Engagement with research: £300k
of external funding to embed a culture of public engagement with
research across the institution
HEFCE Timetable
2011
2012
2013
2014
• Panels appointed
(Feb)
• Final panel criteria
and methods (Jan)
• Panels assess
submissions
• Guidance on
submissions (Jul)
• HEIs submit codes of
practice (final deadline
Jul)
• Launch REF
submissions system
(Jan)
• Draft panel criteria
for consultation
(Jul)
• Close of
consultation (5 Oct)
• Requests for multiple
submissions (final
deadline Dec)
• Survey of submission
intentions complete
(Dec)
• Recruit additional
assessors
• Staff census date
(31 Oct)
• Submissions
deadline (29 Nov)
• Publish outcomes
(Dec)