University Impact

1. University Impact David Sweeney (Director, Research Innovation & Skills) College of Policing Stakeholder Event 28th Nov 2013

2. National objectives (1) • Intellectual leadership in the development of new knowledge • ‘International comparative performance of the UK research base’– ‘better than world average in all subject fields based on field-weighted citation impacts • ‘Well-rounded portfolio’

3. A successful UK research base • 11 UK universities in the World Universities Ranking Top 100 (second only to US) • UK attracts 15% of all international doctoral students (second only to US) • 3rd in G8 (behind US and Germany) for production of PhD qualifiers • UK produces more publications and citations per pound spent on research than other G8 nations • With 1% world population we produce 6.9% of world publications, receive 10.9% of citations and 13.8% of citations with highest impact.

4. Disciplinary strengths • Strong and increasing emphasis in clinical sciences, health & medical sciences, social sciences, business and humanities • Falling back closer to world average in biological sciences and environmental science • In mathematics, physical sciences and engineering the UK ‘has a lesser focus, although cited more than the global average’ • Citation performance relative to the world average grew in all disciplines 2000 to 2010

5. National objectives (2) • Optimal contribution to society from that new knowledge – ‘Impact’ • Culture change & broad engagement of universities/academics • Greater investment from business, not just to capture cash but to support shared objectives • ‘When do we want it’ – now, of course, but recognizing that is based on past investment. • Long-term success e.g. e-infrastructure, graphene

6. Determining strategy • Performance-based funding • Past success is a good guide to future success in a stable environment with long cycles • A mixture of metrics, peer judgement and expert advice to determine ‘excellence’ • Public funding to unlock private funding • Investing now for long-term success

7. Determining tactics • Other than at high level, not by government – Haldane, F&HE Act 1992. The government has tied its own hands so it is up to…. • Universities, as institutions engaged with research user communities • Discipline experts • Informed by the Industrial Strategy and ‘Eight Great Technologies’ • Informed by local, regional, national and international needs • Discipline and location neutrality- ‘excellence wherever it is found’

8. Industrial strategy • Automotive • Aerospace • Life sciences • Higher education • Professional business services • Energy • Construction

9. Key general-purpose technologies • Big data • Space • Robotics and autonomous systems • Synthetic biology • Regenerative medicine • Agri-science • Advanced materials • Energy

10. Our Instruments • Research assessment – the REF, addressing both national objectives • Core Funding – QR (£1.6bn), driven by REF and other quality measures (largest and most efficient research funder) • Skills pipeline funding for research – PGT, PGR • Targeted investments – Catalyst Fund, UKRPIF (aligned with partners) • Information and regulation – Concordats, Open Access

11. HEFCE Catalyst Fund • Funding to deliver HEFCE/Government strategic priorities for HE in teaching, research and knowledge exchange • Successful proposals will achieve step changes and developments that would otherwise not occur without Catalyst • Projects proposed by and developed with institutions; strong emphasis on partnership and match • Two key aims – supporting policy objectives and managing transition • c£45m available per year 2012-13 – 2014-15 • Plus £50m for 16 projects to specifically support economic growth activity – partnership TSB/Catapults

12. Impact

13. Impact: Definition of impact • Impact is defined broadly for the REF: an effect on, change or benefit to the economy, society, culture, public policy or services, health, the environment or quality of life, beyond academia • Panels recognise that impacts can be manifest in a wide variety of ways, may take many forms and occur in a wide range of spheres, in any geographic location • Panels provide examples of impact relevant to their disciplines, intended to stimulate ideas - not as exhaustive or prescriptive lists

14. Impact: Some examples of impact Enhanced professional standards, ethics, guidelines or training Improved health or welfare outcomes Improved risk management Public debate has been shaped or informed by research More effective management or workplace practices Improved business performance Improved quality, accessibility or efficiency of a public service A social enterprise initiative has been created Research has enabled stakeholders to challenge conventional wisdom Production costs have reduced Changes to the design or delivery of the school curriculum Improved forensic methods or expert systems Enhanced preservation, conservation or presentation of cultural heritage Improved access to justice, employment or education Policy debate or decisions have been influenced or shaped by research Improved management or conservation of natural resources Jobs have been created or protected Research has informed public understanding, values, attitudes or behaviours Organisations have adapted to changing cultural values The policies or activities of NGOs or charities have been informed by research Changes to legislation or regulations Enhanced corporate social responsibility policies Levels of waste have reduced Changes in professional practice Enhanced technical standards or protocols A new product has been commercialised New forms of artistic expression or changes to creative practice

15. Impact: Submission requirements 20% of the impact sub-profile 80% of the impact sub-profile

16. Impact: Case studies • Each case study should: • Clearly describe the underpinning research, who undertook it and when • Provide references to the research and evidence of quality • Explain how the research led/contributed to the impact • Clearly identify the beneficiaries and define the impact • Provide evidence/indicators of the impact • Provide independent sources of corroboration • All the material required to make a judgement should be included in the case study • Submitted case studies need not be representative of activity across the unit: pick the strongest examples

17. Impact: Underpinning research • Each case study must be underpinned by research that: • was produced by staff while working in the submitting HEI • is evidenced by outputs published between 1 Jan 1993 to 31 Dec 2013 • meets the quality threshold of at least equivalent to 2* • made a material and distinct contribution to the impact (there are many possible ‘routes’ to impact, but in each case a distinct and material contribution must be shown) • Once the panel is satisfied that these criteria have been met, it will assess and grade the case study in terms of the ‘reach and significance’ of the impact

18. Impact: Evidence of impact • Case studies should provide a clear and coherent narrative linking the research to the impact • Including evidence most appropriate to the case being made • Evidence may take many different forms, including quantitative (where possible) and qualitative. Panels provide examples, which are not exhaustive or prescriptive • Key claims should be capable of verification. Independent sources of corroboration should listed, to be used for audit purposes

19. Impact: Assessment criteria • The criteria for assessing impact are reach and significance • In assessing a case study, the panel will form an overall view about the impact’s reach and significance taken as a whole, rather than assess each criterion separately • ‘Reach’ is not a geographic scale. Sub-panels will consider a number of dimensions to the ‘reach’ as appropriate to the nature of the impact. • In assessing the impact template, the panel will consider the extent to which the unit’s approach is conducive to achieving impacts of ‘reach and significance’

20. Public Debate, Policing Policy, Governance and Practice • to promote collaboration between universities and policing research users; • to produce research that is empirically informed, conceptually rich and policy relevant; • to deliver cross-disciplinary research excellence through all our activities; • to maximise the impact of our research on society, through engagement with external (non-academic) partners. • .

21. Thank you for listening d.sweeney@hefce.ac.uk