Jisc worked with the National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCCPE) to fund 9 researcher groups to develop their capability to analyse and articulate the impact and benefits of their work, by working in partnership with further education and university staff who have expertise in impact analysis. The aim was to stimulate the cross-pollination of existing expertise and technology to enhance capacity in the impact analysis of research across the sector.
The project was supported by a collaborative project space where participants and those interested in the project could share their thinking.
The funded projects were:
1. Interfacing Research and Impact Systems (IRIS)
Lead institution: University of Exeter
Project Lead: Sarah Ward
Project partners/ collaborators: Plymouth University; Manchester Beacon; The Silvanus Trust; Severn Trent Water.
The project aimed to identify existing impact indicators, potential new ones and develop these indicators into a formal toolset; exploring the possibility of integrating these within a technology interface.
2. DIEGO – Disseminating Impact from Engagement with User Groups and Organisations
Lead institution: De Montfort University
Project Lead: Jennie Flemming
Project Manager: Elizabeth Lunt
Project Partners: Sarah Morton, University of Edinburgh
The project linked researchers and information management expertise from De Montfort University with an impact analyst at the University of Edinburgh to develop a case study looking at the analysis of the impact of participatory research in the area of Social Action.
3. Embedding Impact Analysis: Learning From Law
Lead Institution: Oxford Brookes University
Project Lead: Emily Brown
Project partners/collaborators: Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Research and Business Development Office, Directorate of Learning Resources, Ursula Kelly.
The project aimed to develop cost effective, manageable structures to ensure the tracking and recording of impact related information post REF 2014, drawing as much as possible on existing systems (e.g. RCUK collecting system).
4. Accessing Participatory Research Impact and Legacy
Lead institution: Northumbria University
Project Lead: Tina Cook
Project partners/collaborators: Emma Barron, Knowledge Transfer Manager; Jonathan Boote, Research Fellow, University of Sheffield; Nicola Buckley, Head of Public Engagement, University of Cambridge; Chris Turnock, Head of LTech IT Services, Northumbria University; Sonia Vougioukalou, Department of Primary Care and Public Health Sciences, King’s College; Michael Wright, Institute for Social Health, Catholic University of Applied Sciences.
Focusing primarily on Participatory Research (PR) in health this project brought people with expertise in participatory, inclusive and action research, community engagement and impact analysis together with technology designers to develop an open, online, interactive CERIF knowledgebase.
5. Tracking Digital Impact (TDI)
Lead institution: University of Exeter
Project Lead: Ed Keedwell
Project Manager: Kent McClymont
Project partners/collaborators: Elizabeth Tait (Researcher, University of Aberdeen); Rowena Passy (Researcher, Plymouth University); Elizabeth Brock (Researcher, University of Exeter) Sue Waite (Researcher & BCE Practitioner, Plymouth University); Erinma Ochu (BCE Practitioner, Manchester Beacon Network); Sarah Ward (Researcher, University of Exeter); Andy Phippen (Researcher / BCE Practitioner, Plymouth University); Matt Baker (Research Knowledge Transfer, University of Exeter); Pat Loria (ICT Specialist, University of Southern Queensland).
The project brought together researchers and BCE practitioners who develop and interact with digital resources and digital events for disseminating research as a pathway to impact. The project explored the types of digital engagement that are currently in use and how they are monitored.
6. PERO: Public Engagement with Research Online
Lead institution: University of Warwick
Project Lead: Eric Jensen
Project Manager: Monae Verbeke
Project partners/collaborators: Trevor Collins, Open University; Nicola Buckley, University of Cambridge; David Ritchie, Portland State University; Andrew Oswald, Warwick University; Sascha Becker, University of Warwick; Sophie Staniszewska, University of Warwick.
Researchers are increasingly engaging with publics online. This project developed a framework and example case study for analysing the reach and significance of online public engagement with research, incorporating assessments of opportunities for involving public perspectives in research as part of long-term impact generation.
7. Embedding Research Impact at Coventry (ERIC)
Lead institution: Coventry University
Project Manager: Dr Lorna Everall
Project Team: Prof. Louise Wallace, Dr Julie Bayley, Suzanne Hilton, Julia Ryall, Iain Wallace, Pam Shoker-Texeira.
Whilst Coventry University have been commended for their strategic approach to applied research collaboration, the long term impact that these collaborative projects have is severely undervalued. This project addressed this challenge by supporting an established multi-disciplinary research team to systematically analyse and articulate their existing applied research portfolio.
8. The Impact of Schools Stand up to Racism – Analysis and Articulation
Lead institution: Manchester Metropolitan University
Project Manager: Sue Baines
Project Team: Prof. Lynn Martin, Dr Valerie Antcliff, Dr Tamara McNeal Centre for Enterprise, Manchester Metropolitan University; Dr Geraldine Lee-Treweek, Department of Inter Disciplinary Studies, Manchester Metropolitan University; Dr Rebecca Lawthom, Department of Psychology, Research Institute for Health and Social Change, Manchester Metropolitan University; Mandy Roberts, Cheshire Halton and Warrington Race and Equality Centre.
This project used a case study to identify and disseminate good practice in increasing the capability of research groups to work with BCE specialists. In particular the project examined and evaluated routes to enhancing impact for research with civil society organisations.
9. Emphasising research impacts
Lead institution: Newcastle University
Project Manager: Richy Heatherington
Project Team: Ms Alison Chalmers; Prof Barry Hirst; Ms Joanna Chamberlin; Mr Simon Cotterill; Miss Kate Hudson
This project aimed to collect together leading examples of good practice in engagement. The creation of a database of these examples of good practice allows for an analysis of the benefits and impacts of engagement activity.