19 th February, 2013

Beyond reasonable doubt, the individual exhumed … is indeed Richard III, the last Plantagenet king of England

Impact ‘what is it’ The term ‘impact’ differs between users and audiences, for example Academic impact understood as the intellectual contribution to one’s own field. Socioeconomic impact beyond academia in the UK is ‘impact’. The distinction between these two in other countries is not so clear. Oxford Dictionary ‘Marked effect or influence’ Research Councils UK (RCUK) ‘The demonstrable contribution that excellent research makes to society and the economy ’ Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) ‘An effect on, change or benefit to the economy, society, culture, public policy or services, health, the environment, quality of life, beyond academia’ In a nutshell ‘how academic research benefits society outside of academia’

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

Improved health or welfare outcomes Enhanced professional standards, ethics, guidelines or training Improved risk management Public debate has been shaped or informed by research Improved quality, accessibility or efficiency of a public service Most effective management or workplace practices Improved business performance Changes to the design or delivery of the school curriculum Production costs have reduced Research has enabled stakeholders to challenge conventional wisdom A social enterprise initiative has been created Policy debate or decisions have been influenced or shaped by research Enhanced preservation, conservation or presentation of cultural heritage Improved access to justice, employment or education Improved forensic methods or expert systems Organisations have adapted to changing cultural values Jobs have been created or protected Research has informed public understanding, values, attitudes or behaviours Improved management or conservation of natural resources Enhanced corporate social responsibility policies Levels of waste have reduced The policies or activities of NGO’s or charities have been informed by research Changes to legislation or regulations A new product has been commercialised New forms of artistic expression or changes to creative practice Changes in professional practice Enhanced technical standards or protocols

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.

MeasuresImprovedDocumented changesEvidence from auditchange in guidelines enhanced awarenesspublic understandingCritical reviews public debateIncreasedDocumented shift service changeBusiness performance measuresSales Demonstrable collaborationsCommercial adoptionpolicy debate ChangesInfluencePublishedVerifiable influence Traceable referencePriority shifts Visitor or audience numbers and feedbackAttainment EngagementStandards, protocols, codes ImprovementsCitation Parliamentary or other democratic debateVisitor or audience numbersQuantitative dataPublication and sales figures GrowthDataInclusionDescriptionsInformation AgreementsAcknowledgementsEvaluations

MeasuresImprovedDocumented changesEvidence from auditchange in guidelines enhanced awarenesspublic understandingCritical reviews public debateIncreasedDocumented shift service changeBusiness performance measuresSales Demonstrable collaborationsCommercial adoptionpolicy debate ChangesInfluencePublishedVerifiable influence Traceable referencePriority shifts Visitor or audience numbers and feedbackAttainment EngagementStandards, protocols, codes ImprovementsCitation Parliamentary or other democratic debateVisitor or audience numbersQuantitative dataPublication and sales figures GrowthDataInclusionDescriptionsInformation AgreementsAcknowledgementsEvaluations

MeasuresImprovedDocumented changesEvidence from auditchange in guidelines enhanced awarenesspublic understandingCritical reviews public debateIncreasedDocumented shift service changeBusiness performance measuresSales Demonstrable collaborationsCommercial adoptionpolicy debate ChangesInfluencePublishedVerifiable influence Traceable referencePriority shifts Visitor or audience numbers and feedbackAttainment EngagementStandards, protocols, codes ImprovementsCitation Parliamentary or other democratic debateVisitor or audience numbersQuantitative dataPublication and sales figures GrowthDataInclusionDescriptionsInformation AgreementsAcknowledgementsEvaluations

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

Examples from history Sudenafil citrate; originally intended for treatment of hypertension now used for erectile disfunction. Thalidomide; orinally developed in the 1950’s as an antinausea sleeping pill, found to treat morning sickness well, the result was horrendous birth defects. Now used as to treat multiple myeloma and supress symptoms of HIV. Cloroflouracarbons; revolutionised refrigeration and thermodynamics, made a big hole in the ozone layer.

Lies, damned lies and statistics: – 570,000 results for “Richard II Leicester University” – 809,000 results for “exeter hip Exeter University” – 1,334,251,045 views for Gangnam Style – 2,991,044 views for Eton Style – 101,621 views of the PLOS One article: An In-Depth Analysis of a Piece of Shit: Distribution of Schistosoma mansoni and Hookworm Eggs in Human Stool

What is Exeter doing about impact? Impact Review Group (IRG) – academics from all subject areas and three members of staff from RKT To review all case studies and statements yearly and provide feedback Impact Strategy Group (ISG) – one representative per College, Chair and two members of staff from RKT, plus three non academic users To identify impact strategies for the REF and for RCUK at local, national and international level, and facilitate their implementation Support and Funding To calibrate or test impact at the University with external expertise and advice, including guidance from lay members of Council.

JISC DESCRIBE Project Taxonomy, types and ranges of impact Nature of impact evidence with particular attention to subject specific nuances building on the final REF Panel Guidance, but international in outlook Subtleties between disciplines regarding types of impact and archetypal evidence Appropriateness of evidence, e.g. ‘Impact is not a Euphemism for monetary value’ Consistency of evidence across the sector and between disciplines Detail what information is currently collected by research organizations and review impact capture mechanisms Approaches and methodologies for assessing impact and systematically capturing evidence through IT systems

HEFCE Timetable 2011 Panels appointed (Feb) Guidance on submissions (Jul) Draft panel criteria for consultation (Jul) Close of consultation (5 Oct) 2012 Final panel criteria and methods (Jan) HEIs submit codes of practice (final deadline Jul) Requests for multiple submissions (final deadline Dec) Survey of submission intentions complete (Dec) 2013 Launch REF submissions system (Jan) Recruit additional assessors Staff census date (31 Oct) Submissions deadline (29 Nov) 2014 Panels assess submissions Publish outcomes (Dec)