Showcasing The Research
Leader’s Impact Toolkit
ARMA Annual Conference, 6 June 2017, Liverpool
Dr Elizabeth Morrow, Independent Researcher, Northern Ireland
Prof Fiona Ross CBE, Director of Research, Leadership Foundation, London
Will Wade, Research Manager and Policy Analyst, Leadership Foundation, London
Acknowledgements
Funded by UK higher education funding councils
Academic Learning Partners
Dr Jo Allen, Research Impact Officer, University of Brighton
Prof Jennifer Ames, Associate Dean (Research, Innovation and Partnerships), Professor of Food and Nutritional Sciences,
University of the West of England (now PVC Research at University of South Wales)
David Coombe, Director of the Research Division, London School of Economics
Dr Chris Hewson, Impact Coordinator, University of Salford
Prof Bruce Macfarlane, Professor of Higher Education and Co-Director of Centre for Higher Education at Southampton
(CHES), University of Southampton
Prof Jo Rycroft-Malone, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research and Impact, Bangor University
Expert reviewers
Maeve Lankford, Assistant Director, Membership (Ireland), Leadership Foundation
Cindy Vallance, Assistant Director, Membership (London, East & S. East), Leadership Foundation
Prof Annette Boaz, Professor in Health Care Research, Centre for Health and Social Care Research, Kingston University
and St Georges, University of London
Vanessa Cuthill, Director of Research and Enterprise, University of Essex
Steven Hill, Head of Research Policy, Hefce
Natalie Jones, Senior Portfolio Manager for Knowledge Exchange, ESRC
Alison Mitchell, Director of Development, Vitae
Prof Alison Tierney, Adjunct Professor, School of Nursing, University of Adelaide, South Australia
Aims of the session
 Introduce The Research Leader’s Impact Toolkit
 Focus on leadership and management of research impact
Benefits
• Maximise impact through coordination, skills development and
support
• Clearer leadership and management of research impact
= increased research capacity, funding and impact
What matters to you?
• What interests you?
• Why have you come?
• What are you hoping to get out of the session?
Overview of the session
1.
2.
3.
4.
What impact means and why it matters
Purpose of the toolkit and how it was developed
Demonstration of the toolkit
Examples of how to apply the tools
Interactive session, please comment and contribute as we go
What impact means
Multiple evolving definitions but most common:
“an effect on, change or benefit to the economy,
society, culture, public policy or services, health,
the environment or quality of life, beyond
academia” (REF 2014)
In real terms:
new goals, practices, incentives and rewards
= leadership and management of research impact
Why impact matters
Why impact matters
• Showing impact of research on the economy, society,
organisations and individuals
• Measuring impact: concerns about REF 2021 and
responsible metrics (quantitative indicators of impact)
• Directing impact: interdisciplinary responses to grand
challenges and global problems in a post-truth world
• Impact of research process: collaboration, partnerships,
stakeholder engagement, public engagement
What matters where you work?
In your institution, discipline or department:
• What are the drivers for impact?
• What types of impact matter most?
Purpose of the toolkit
A suite of research-based tools that can be used by higher
education institutions to:
• develop a formal Research Impact Strategy for 2021
• devise strategies for leading, managing and practicing impact
• align impact work with engagement, knowledge exchange,
outreach and quality improvement
• inform research practice
• improve processes and infrastructure
• build capacity, skills and knowledge for research careers
Previous research on impact
•
•
2015 analysis of 1,309 LGM impact case studies
Explored routes to impact
Types of impact
TYPE I
Use of evidence
TYPE II
Research products
Law
Government policy
Strategy
Regulation
Standards
Guidelines (recommendations for practice)
Priorities (for research or practice)
Training program or course
Intervention (program or initiative)
Toolkit
Model
Decision aid
System (operational)
Support network
Technology
Measure
Benchmark
Information resource
Research method
Participation method
Teaching method
Visual art, music or fiction
TYPE III
Effect on individuals
TYPE IV
Effect on groups/organisations
Awareness
Attitude
Understanding (knowledge)
Behaviour
Knowledge-transfer (intra organisation, inter
organisation or network)
Organisational development
(innovation, new systems or structures)
Organisational performance
(impact on end-users)
• Many types
of impact
• Timescales
• Outcomes
and effects
Routes to impact
• Complex
system with
diverse routes
to impact
• Prospective
impact
pathways
Identified needs
Tools and support for institutions to be • Proactive: vision, targets, plans, statements and
pathways to impact, propagating impact
• Dynamic: flexible resource use, linking research to
wider contexts, enabling innovation and different
routes to impact
• Empowering: creating impact cultures, opportunities
for reflection, deliberation and learning, exchange of
good practice and expertise, building capacity for
research impact
What matters to your researchers?
• Are researchers engaged?
• Do they have guidance and support?
• Can they show their impact?
Development of the toolkit
•
•
•
•
Encouraged by funders developed in 2016/2017
Six academic learning partners
Building on nine themes identified in previous research
Research-based drawing together evidence and best practice
(research literature, web trawls, REF research)
• Three rounds of refinement of content
• Expert review (Hefce, RCUK, vitae, ARMA, impact experts)
• Digital design
• User testing and demo version
Accessing the toolkit
• Open access Leadership Foundation resource
(www.lfhe.ac.uk)
• Versions for desktop, tablet, mobile
• Register with MyLF to log in
Menu wheel
Menu wheel
• Three main themes
• Nine sections
• User-led navigation
• Downloads
45 tools
45 tools
Directions for users
Linked resources
• Section downloads
• Editable forms and
templates
Any questions or comments …?
Examples of how to apply
the tools
• Research Impact Strategy
• Staff training
• Guidance for researchers
Developing a Research Impact Strategy
• Useful heuristics and
templates
• Tools for visualising
and communicating
about impact
• Prompts to
structure
information
capture and
impact
planning
Staff
skills
and
knowledge
Staff skills and knowledge development
development
• Design and adapt tools
for your institution,
department or team
Guidance for researchers
• Apply best
practice
guidance
Publications
• LSE Impact blog
Mining the REF impact case studies for lessons on leadership, governance and management in Higher
Education. http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsocialsciences/2016/06/08/leadership-governance-andmanagement-research-mining-the-ref-impact-case-studies/
• Hefce blogs
Planning and reporting the impact of research. http://blog.hefce.ac.uk/2016/10/13/planning-and-reportingthe-impact-of-research/
Delivering impact from research needs public participation. http://blog.hefce.ac.uk/2016/09/14/deliveringimpact-from-research-needs-public-participation/
• Journal article Evaluation (forthcoming)
Morrow, Ross & Goreham. Exploring research impact in the assessment of leadership, governance and
management research.
What will you take away from this
session?
• What will you share with colleagues?
• What will you remember?
• Do you plan to take any action?
Thank you for your time
• Access The Research Leader’s Impact Toolkit by registering with
the Leadership Foundation at:
www.lfhe.ac.uk
• Contact information:
Dr Elizabeth Morrow: [email protected] (@elizabethmmorr1)
Professor Fiona Ross: [email protected] (@ProfFionaRoss)
Will Wade: [email protected]