Fostering research impact: evidence from REF2014 Steven Hill Head of Research Policy RENU conference, Middlesex University 30 October

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 societal Environmental Public policy […] How can universities maximize the impact delivered from their research? The central question

Evidence from the REF impact case studies Evidence from high performing units How can universities maximize the impact delivered from their research?

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 evidence

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Different types of impact are more common in different disciplines (1) 7

Delivering impact

High impact is delivered by units that also deliver research of high academic quality Delivering impact

Impact and other scores related, but not perfectly

High performance on impact and outputs generally asscoiated

High impact is delivered by units that also deliver research of high academic quality Impact derives from the integration of disciplinary knowledge Delivering impact

There is a diverse range of impact pathways 15

Patent citations of interdisciplinary research

Volume of interdisciplinary research

High impact is delivered by units that also deliver research of high academic quality Impact derives from the integration of disciplinary knowledge There is some institutional specialisation in delivering impact Delivering impact

High impact is delivered by units that also deliver research of high academic quality Impact derives from the integration of disciplinary knowledge There is some institutional specialisation in delivering impact The recruitment, retention and development of talented people is a key feature of high performing units Delivering impact

High performing units: Have higher proportions of professors, staff with PhDs, non-UK nationals and staff with previous employment overseas Focus 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 opportunities Apply performance incentives (e.g. promotions, sabbaticals, funding) People

High impact is delivered by units that also deliver research of high academic quality Impact derives from the integration of disciplinary knowledge There is some institutional specialisation in delivering impact The 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 culture Delivering impact

High performing units: Have leaders who have earned the trust of their institutions and can act autonomously Nurture 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 standards Collegiate and supportive environment Leadership and culture

High impact is delivered by units that also deliver research of high academic quality Impact derives from the integration of disciplinary knowledge There is some institutional specialisation in delivering impact The 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 culture High performing units have a strategy that is real, living and owned Delivering impact

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” Strategy

High impact is delivered by units that also deliver research of high academic quality Impact derives from the integration of disciplinary knowledge There is some institutional specialisation in delivering impact The 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 culture High performing units have a strategy that is real, living and owned Delivering impact

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