1. DTC Impact module ‘Impact’: what, where and why
DTC Impact module ‘Impact’: what, where and why? Dr Glyn Williams, Urban Studies and Planning (drawing on material produced by Dr Adam Whitworth, Dept of Geography)

2. ‘Impact’: what, where & why?
Module overview
What is ‘impact’ & why might we care?
How does impact shape your PhD?
18/05/2018
© The University of Sheffield

3. 1: Module overview
18/05/2018
© The University of Sheffield

4. Welcome! Aims of this module:
To gain understanding of ‘knowledge exchange’ and ‘impact’ agendas within context of higher education
To discuss different issues & approaches to achieving impact
To learn from case study examples & researcher experiences
To discuss aims & strategies to maximise impact of your own research
18/05/2018
© The University of Sheffield

5. Welcome! Questions we will explore include:
What is ‘impact’ & what is the ‘impact agenda’ all about?
Why might I care about impact in my research?
How might I try and improve my research’s ‘impact’?
Who are my target partners? How do I go about building effective research collaborations with external partners?
Which audience(s) am I trying to reach and affect?
What can we learn from sharing experiences?
How might I build impact more strongly into my own research?
18/05/2018
© The University of Sheffield

6. Workshop 1 (13/02/17) Workshop 2 (27/02/17) Workshop 3 (13/03/17)
Introduction
Managing Collaborative Projects
Excellence in Impact I: S Farrall
Building Successful Research Partnerships
The Politics of Engaged Scholarship
Excellence in Impact II: H Lamby-Mumford
Writing Successful Collaborative Bids
Working with the Media
Evaluating Impact
Approaches to Co-Constructing Knowledge
Digital Technologies and Impact
Thinking Critically about Impact
18/05/2018
© The University of Sheffield

7. 2: What is ‘impact’ and why might we care?
18/05/2018
© The University of Sheffield

8. Impact is everywhere!
18/05/2018
© The University of Sheffield

9. Impact and KE within University of Sheffield

10. What is impact?
‘Achieving demonstrable benefits from the wider economy and society’
Excellent, rigorous research is the starting point
But impact is about benefits beyond academia
Reach
Significance
Change
18/05/2018
© The University of Sheffield

11. Thinking about ‘impact’
What are different types of ‘impact’ we could think about achieving?
Why do universities & academics care about the ‘impact agenda’?
What is a ‘good academic’? How (if at all) do impact & KE fit into being a ‘good academic’?
Break into groups of 2-4 and spend 5 minutes discussing
these questions. Please nominate a rapporteur to feed back.
18/05/2018
© The University of Sheffield

12. What makes a ‘good academic’ in your opinion?
Inspirational lecturer
Networks & partnerships
Gives students time
Articles in top ranking journals
Grant income capture
Reliable in administrative roles
External public profile
Good colleague
Improving wider world
Other
18/05/2018
© The University of Sheffield

13. Why the impact agenda?
Evidence needed to justify public taxpayer investments in research (Treasury & BIS)
Changes in emphases within funding & evaluation of HE
HEFCE & funding councils driven by Treasury emphasis on economic (and policy, social, cultural etc) value for money for taxpayer
Two stages: Treasury think UK far better at research than ‘pull through’
Ground-breaking research of the highest quality
That achieves demonstrable benefits to wider economy and society
18/05/2018
© The University of Sheffield

14. ‘Impact’ & peer review journal articles
Top 50 most web viewed articles during 2012 in a well respected social policy journal 1
1509 5
566 10
461 15
346 20
309 25
287 30
253 35
239 40
230
18/05/2018
© The University of Sheffield

15. The many faces of the impact agenda
‘Impact’ in the Research Excellence Framework (REF)
Reputation (eg 4*) and income
20% weighting for impact case studies
Impact & engagement in research council funding
(e.g. ESRC, AHRC, NERC)
Pathways to Impact statement
(i) Academic impact (ii) broader econ & social impact
End of Award Impact statement
Separate KE funding calls
Funding increasingly partnership oriented
Funding increasingly competitive!
Collaborative PhDs becoming the norm
Employment/Promotion criteria
Profile, networks, partners, grant income, consultancy, all supporting
media, ‘expert’, policy > UG & PGT recruitment, > academic
personal/dept/univ profile career

16. The many faces of the impact agenda
‘Impact’ in the Research Excellence Framework (REF)
Reputation (eg 4*) and income
20% weighting for impact case studies
Impact & engagement in research council funding
(e.g. ESRC, AHRC, NERC)
Pathways to Impact statement
(i) Academic impact (ii) broader econ & social impact
End of Award Impact statement
Separate KE funding calls
Funding increasingly partnership oriented
Funding increasingly competitive!
Collaborative PhDs becoming the ‘norm’
Employment/Promotion criteria
Profile, networks, partners, grant income, consultancy, all supporting
media, ‘expert’, policy > UG & PGT recruitment, > academic
personal/dept/univ profile career
The concept & measurement of impact in HE are problematic & contested

17. ‘Impact’: narrow & broad understandings
Intrinsic impact
Broader career & university benefits
Research council funding
REF
18/05/2018
© The University of Sheffield

18. 3: How does impact shape your PhD?
18/05/2018
© The University of Sheffield

19. How ‘impactful’ is your research?
We would expect variation according to:
Nature of topic
External collaboration
Methodological approach?
Your aims & future career plans
Personality
Technical skills (eg IT, public speaking, media work)
18/05/2018
© The University of Sheffield

20. Key external organisations
How ‘impactful’ is your research?
Policy
Media
Economic
Social/Cultural
Zero impact
Mega impact
Key external organisations
Participants
Academic networks
Academic profile
General public
18/05/2018
© The University of Sheffield

21. How ‘impactful’ is your research?
Policy
Media
Economic
Social/Cultural
General public
Zero impact
Mega impact
Key external organisations
Identify where you think you are/will be at for each type of impact
Then identify where you would like to be (using different colour or shape)
Participants
Academic networks
Academic profile
18/05/2018
© The University of Sheffield

22. Co-production, KE & impact in research: potential benefits?
Maximising impact of findings
Maximising reach of findings
Asking (all) the right questions?
Improving chances of securing funding/grant income
Access to data etc from key partners
Raising personal profile
Building partnerships & networks
Strengthening case for promotion
UG recruitment (think Brian Cox)
Capacity building in partners
Democratization of the research process….
18/05/2018
© The University of Sheffield

23. ‘Traditional’ PhD model
Identify research questions
Year 1
Formulate research design
Data collection
Year 2
Analysis
Write up
Year 3+
Dissemination
(PhD, conferences, publications)
18/05/2018
© The University of Sheffield

24. Possible model for engaged, ‘impactful’ PhD
Identify key partners
Collaboratively identify research needs & questions
Year 0-1
Co-produce research design
Co-formulate research funding application(s)
Further develop relationships, profile, expertise, outputs, ‘ academic territory’
Data collection (collaboratively?)
Year 2
Analysis (collaboratively?)
Write up (just you for the PhD!)
Year 3+
Identify additional target audiences/organisations
Dissemination
(PhD, conferences, publications, briefings, workshops, media, Twitter, blogs, video...)

25. Possible model for engaged, ‘impactful’ PhD
Identify key partners
Collaboratively identify research needs & questions
Year 0-1
Co-produce research design
Co-formulate research funding application(s)
Further develop relationships, profile, expertise, outputs, ‘ academic territory’
Data collection (collaboratively?)
Year 2
Analysis (collaboratively?)
Write up (just you for the PhD!)
Year 3+
Identify additional target audiences/organisations
This needs careful thought as the PhD has to be your work
Dissemination
(PhD, conferences, publications, briefings, workshops, media, Twitter, blogs, video...)