Knowledge Exchange and Impact Engaging Scottish Local Authorities Workshop Glasgow, 11 June 2010 Dr Fiona Armstrong

Outline The context – ESRC Strategic Plan Knowledge exchange and impact through partnership Pathways to Impact Assessing Impact

Social Science lies at the heart of understanding and tackling the complex challenges facing society

ESRC Strategic Plan QUALITY – IMPACT – INDEPENDENCE ‘The ESRC expects that all the research it funds will be high quality and of scholarly distinction, but we are also committed to increasing its non academic impact, and benefit to the UK in public policy, economic prosperity, culture, and quality of life… These include the close engagement with potential research users before, during and after the research process, and a flow of people between research and the worlds of policy and practice’.

Impact is not new…. The ESRC’s role, as incorporated by Royal Charter (1994) is:  To promote and support, by any means, high-quality basic, strategic and applied research and related postgraduate training in the social sciences;  To advance knowledge and provide trained social scientists who meet the needs of users and beneficiaries, thereby contributing to the economic competitiveness of the United Kingdom, the effectiveness of public services and policy, and the quality of life;  To provide advice on, and disseminate, knowledge; and promote public understanding of the social sciences.

The idea stage - case study Impact case study – controlling without confronting English football fans were in the headlines at the 2004 UEFA European Championships in Albufiera, when over 50 English people were arrested following violent confrontations with the police. Less well known, however, is that disorder at match venues during the competition was virtually non-existent – the result of a ‘low profile’ approach to policing recommended by an ESRC-funded UK researcher, and now being adopted by police in the UK and across Europe. The idea – to make a difference to policing

ESRC Strategic Plan The ESRC will aim to support and maximise its impact through: World class social science research Skilled people World class infrastructure International leadership Partnerships

ESRC Strategic Plan Challenges for Social Science Global Economic Performance, Policy and Management Environment, Energy and Resilience Security, Conflict and Justice Social Diversity and Population Dynamics Health and Wellbeing New Technology, Innovation and Skills Understanding Individual Behaviour  Productive Economy  Healthy Society  Sustainable World RCUK Framework

Knowledge Exchange and Impact Knowledge exchange and impact generation – important priority in age of austerity – doing more with less Knowledge exchange can support significant economic and societal impact i.e. environment, public health and quality of life Encourage high levels of engagement between academia and key priority sectors (public, private and third sectors) Translation and application of research into innovation and policy Need to increase knowledge exchange and collaboration to get research into policy and practice Make an impact

Benefits of Knowledge Exchange Academic Perspective: Gain an understanding of the needs and priorities of potential research users Inform academic research Increase the prospects of academic research being applied and generating a wider impact Apply evidence-based knowledge and expertise to important policies Research User Perspective: Research-informed evidence to develop and review policy and practice Access to innovative ideas and expertise Add value and enhance organisational creativity, performance and productivity through collaborations and partnerships Gain access to collaborative funding

Defining impact Instrumental Influencing the development of policy practice or service provision Shaping behaviour Altering legislation Conceptual Contributing to our understanding of the above Reframing debates Capacity-building Technical/professional skills development

Defining impact … it can be more subtle Cultural change Increased willingness to engage in knowledge exchange activities – by individuals, and/or institutions Changed mindsets Enduring connectivity Establishment of enduring academic / non-academic relationships – indicator of potential future achievements or impacts Both are a crucial stepping stone for other types of impact Meagher, L “Impact Evaluation of People at the Centre of Communication and Information Technologies (PACCIT) Programme

Generating impact: co-production Involving users at all stages of the research; Well-planned user-engagement and knowledge exchange strategies; Co-production of knowledge – scope for generating higher impact; Portfolios of research activity that build reputations with research users;

Generating impact: relationships Key factors identified for generating impact include: Established relationships and networks with user communities; Where appropriate, the involvement of intermediaries and knowledge broker as translators, amplifiers, network providers, etc Good infrastructure and management support;

ESRC - roles and responsibilities Three distinctive roles relating to impact: Leadership Impact creation and delivery Impact identification and measurement Leadership and new opportunities IMPACT FEEDBACK LOOP best practice support and management Impact identification and measurement Impact creation and delivery

Sustainable WorldHealthy SocietyProductive Economy Global economic performance, policy and management Understanding Individual Behaviour New technology, Innovation and Skills Social Diversity and Population Dynamics Health and wellbeing Environment, Energy and resilience Security, Conflict and Justice User Engagement and Knowledge Exchange Shaped by opportunities from our portfolio, responsive to user needs, delivering impact ESRC Portfolio Third Sector - Local Government – Business – Public Sector – Devolved Administrations User needs

Third Sector Engagement Strategy The ESRC recognises the growing importance of the third sector and through extensive consultation has developed an engagement strategy and portfolio of third sector activity. The ESRC has a strategic commitment to: Enhance and develop the third sector evidence base with, for and on the third sector Build the research expertise and capacity of the third sector for conducting and utilising relevant research resources and data Create links and partnerships between academia, policy-makers and the third sector (through a range of mechanisms) to generate significant impact(s) on policy and practice

Business Engagement Strategy VISION The ESRC will act as the lead RCUK Strategic Partner to business in areas of innovation, skills and business models and in key priority sectors, to ensure maximum impact of our world-class social science base. MISSION In doing this the ESRC will ensure to develop and sustain partnerships with business sector stakeholders to influence and maximise the impact of ESRC’s research and; will facilitate the application and co- production of knowledge. STRATEGIC AIMS are driven by ESRC’s principles of quality, impact and independence. 1). Ensure that the broad business sector is able to fully exploit the evidence base in the cross-cutting areas of innovation, skills and new business models to ensure maximum impact on performance and sustainable economic growth 2). Lead engagement with the three economically-important sectors of Financial Services, Retail and Sport Leisure and Tourism to secure maximum impact of the Research Councils' portfolio of research and skills on those business sectors. 3). Maximise the impact upon business of ESRC investments and existing strategic partnerships with Government, the Third Sector, the Technology Strategy Board, and other Research Councils Underpinning strategic delivery objective: Given the complexity of the business sector and the need to focus our resource, delivering impact is often best achieved and maximised through collaboration with consultants and business intermediaries which underpins the delivery of our strategic objectives

Central and Local Government  Engage with local Authorities through LARCI – the Local Authorities and Research Councils’ Initiative  Engage with Central Government through “concordat” relationships with approx. 20 Government Departments  Annual meetings to share strategic priorities  Programme of partnered opportunities, e.g. public sector placements, public policy seminars  ESRC approach recognised in the CST report on “How Academia and Government can Work Together”

Collaborative Research Collaborative Training People and Information Exchange Commercialisation and Development Capacity Building ClustersCASE StudentshipsKnowledge Transfer Partnerships RCUK Business Plan Competition Responsive ModeDoctoral Training Centres and Units Public, Third and Business Sector Placements Follow-on Fund VenturesGovernment Collaborative Studentships Student internships Public Policy Seminars Business Engagement Opportunities scheme ESRC Opportunities in relation to the RCUK Knowledge Exchange Pillars

Knowledge Exchange and Impact Generation Opportunities A life course approach CASE Studentships Student Internships Knowledge Transfer Partnerships Placement Fellowship – Business Public and Third Sector Schemes Follow-on Funding Business Engagement Opportunities Capacity Building Clusters – Business and Third Sector Additional Opportunities and Resources Collaborative Research Seminar and Workshops Publications and Electronic Resources Knowledge Transfer Training and Development

Assessing impact ESRC is exploring new methods for assessing the impact of research on policy makers and practitioners Taking Stock 2009 Report: rt/Evaluation/evaluatingimpact/index.aspx#0 rt/Evaluation/evaluatingimpact/index.aspx#0 Dissemination does not equal impact! Need to capture evidence of application by users Assessment methods should seek to capture the wider diversity of impacts, and the processes through which impact occurs

To summarise Impact through Partnerships is key Important for ESRC to develop strategic partnerships, in order to act as knowledge broker and support impact from our portfolio Universities should consider their role in developing their own strategic partnerships to support the impact agenda ESRC has other opportunities for Knowledge Exchange Specific schemes, but also can act in the capacity as a knowledge broker Embedding “impact” is important Important to consider across the proposal lifecycle from inception to evaluation

Thank you For further information: Visit ESRC Knowledge Transfer Guide: ESRC Knowledge Transfer Opportunities: Contact