Opening Remarks: SSH contributions to a Competitive Europe – Creativity & Culture

1. Opening Remarks: SSH contributions to a Competitive Europe – Creativity & Culture Professor Ellen Hazelkorn Achieving Impact International Conference & Brokerage Event 25-27 February 2014 Athens

2. Re-conceptualising “Impact” • Role of higher education and university-based research as the “engine” of social and economic growth and prosperity has led to significant changes in priorities, funding and practices: • Social contract: funding provided as long as there are usable outputs; • Engaged Scholarship: on basis that research does not exist in isolation; • Democratisation of knowledge: greater public accessibility and transparency of scientific communication; • Quality: in a globalised world, quality is a key determinant of competitive advantage. • New emphasis throws down gauntlet for AHSS.

3. Demonstrating Impact • Research impact is a demonstrated influence (LSE, 2011): • Academic impacts: influences upon actors in academia or universities, • External impacts: influences on actors outside HE on business, government or civil society. • Once research is seen to have value, impact and benefit beyond the academy, then what is measured, how and by who changes.

4. Challenge for the AHSS • How should AHSS respond to this new policy regime and public discourse? • Does it ignore the new demands or should it engage? • Does it argue a disciplinary exceptionalism or should the “same rules” apply? • How can AHSS demonstrate value, impact and benefit? • What can be learned about how the “sciences” have positioned themselves?

5. What is to be done? • No more exceptionalism; AHSS has much greater commonality with other disciplines; • Take ownership of the challenges and responsibility for telling technology developers what is required; • Peer-review no longer sole method by which research is assessed; • End-user or stakeholder esteem is vital component; • Grey matter important: broader range of indicators and methodologies required; • Informing the public about the value of AHSS research helps increase support for AHSS.

6. Research Outputs/Impact • Journal articles • Book chapters • Computer software and databases • Conference publications • Editing of major works • Legal cases, maps • Major art works • Major works in production or exhibition and/or award-winning design • Patents or plant breeding rights • Policy documents or brief • Research or technical reports • Technical drawings, designs or working models • Translations • Visual recordings • Peer Esteem • Impact on Teaching • Improved Productivity, Reduced Costs • Improvements on environment and lifestyle • Improving people’s health and quality of life • Increased employment • Informed public debate • New approaches to social issues • New curriculum • Patents, Licenses • Policy change • Social innovation • Stakeholder esteem • Stimulating creativity

7. Today’s Session • Overarching issues to be addressed: • Impact from end-users’ viewpoint (benefitting from impact) and researchers’ (achieving impact); • Interdisciplinarity; • Integrating the international dimension; • Comparative research approach and underlining its added value. • Introduction: Prof Sean Ryder, Ireland • 3 Case Studies • World Café Discussion – 7 groups with c. 15 people; number on entry • Final Plenary