Driving Excellence in Research: Institutional Strategies and Approaches

1. University Alliance Driving forward excellence in research: institutional strategies and approaches Professor Janet Beer, Vice-Chancellor, Oxford Brookes University

2. Alliance universities: strengths & focus within diverse sector • 4* and 3* departments with major impact and links with industry • Research strengths in innovation, typically in areas of importance to the new economy • Near-market solutions & large proportion of highly rated STEM departments • Knowledge exchange with business built on genuine partnership and collaboration • Focussed and strategic in how we invest resource in research strengths

3. Research excellence:what we know • Funding research on basis of quality achieves concentration of funding where quality exists • Funding research based on quality has driven up quality of UK research since introduction of RAE • No direct correlation between volume and excellence outside some of the physical sciences

4. Research excellence:what we know • Peaks of world-leading research excellence determine UK’s position as world leader • Association between research excellence and industrial innovation & application • Academics and industry know subject specialists within their area – basis of collaboration

5. Alliance publication:evidence based approach

6. Research excellence as a strategic driver • Driving academic endeavour and collaboration • Driving institutional strategy • Driving government policy • Driving a diverse sector built on strengths

7. Driving academic endeavour and collaboration • Dr Rajat Gupta • Low Carbon Building Group • Department of Architecture • Oxford Brookes University

8. Driving academic endeavour and collaboration • Principal investigator on £1.14m ERSC funded project evaluating impact of low carbon communities (EVALOC) • Interdisciplinary team brings together social science and building science based disciplines • Co-investigator, Dr Nick Eyre, Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford • Researchers from both universities • Selected international experts from USA, Sweden, Austria and Germany • Consultants from Capacity Global and Dotted Eyes

9. Driving institutional strategy Oxford Brookes University: focus on strengths • Clear priorities and goals - 2 principles: • research excellence is the key to effective exploitation • success breeds success • Leadership from the top and consistent strategic messages: • clear distinction between ‘scholarship’ and ‘research’ • ‘virtuous circle’ of research, knowledge exchange and teaching • central research fund steers research direction • Results • RAE 2008: 75% + research international, 35% world leading • Increased commercialisation, KTPs, business enterprise projects, business partnerships & consultancies

10. … areas of research strength • Sustainable development (Planning and Architecture) • Sustainable transport (Engineering) • Computing • Business • Health and Nutrition • Global Studies • Law • History • English • Publishing and the Creative Industries • Psychology

11. Driving research funding policy • If you selectively fund research on the basis of quality you will achieve concentration of research funding where quality exists • This approach has been proven to maximise return from public funding - even more important when funding is limited • Ensures critical public investment to 4* & 3* departments in areas of strategic importance - this is not duplication

12. Driving broader policy • Technology and innovation centres • Collaboration • HEIF • KTPs • Postgraduate and doctoral training centres

13. Driving a diverse sector built on excellence • Supporting peaks of world-leading excellence across sector ensures highest quality research is funded • Diverse research base important for encouraging a dynamic sector and progress in research • Role of universities that specialise in near-market research and partnership with business - where innovation often emerges • A position that can, and should, unite the sector