Earlier this summer, the University’s strategic leaders came together for an away-day to reflect on our research and innovation strength and how it underpins all elements of our work as a University.
As part of this day, members of the University Executive Board (UEB), all academic heads and all heads of professional services received a briefing on the University’s preparations for Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2029 from members of the Research and Innovation (R&I) Management team. They were then asked to come up with examples of excellence in our research and innovation culture, and how both academic and professional areas contributed to this. Associate Deans Research and Innovation were on hand to lead the sessions and contribute their expertise.
A whole host of wide ranging and engaging conversations ensued, ranging from discussions about how we support our postgraduate research students (PGRs) to how those in senior leadership roles champion our research reputation nationally. Leaders identified a number of strong foundations that underpin research culture and our REF preparations. The examples generated ranged from individual activities to local research culture initiatives to university-wide support systems. When later analysed, the examples naturally fell into four themes: the importance of having an underpinning strategy and linked policies; how we support and grow our researchers; how targeted investment can be used to grow our research; and collaborating and partnering with others can act as a force multiplier for our research ambitions.
1. Strategy and Policy. How existing strategies and policies already contribute to enhancing research and innovation and our research reputation.
- Research-led and research-engaged teaching linked with our new connected curriculum and access and participation priorities to feed into and complement university and local-level research strategies.
- How our well developed ethics and open research and data practices ensure that researchers are able to carry out excellent ethical research and how this gives them confidence to share it widely.
- How strategic research leadership roles including Unit of Assessment Coordinators, Impact Leads and Associate Deans of R&I, are embedded across the University academic areas.
- How our strategy to expand our research centres have been used to facilitate interdisciplinary research and focus areas of expertise.
2. Developing and supporting talented researchers across all stages of their careers was identified as a key area of our research culture.
Conversations covered formal training, peer support, career development and protected research time, all of which come together to contribute to excellent research.
- One-to-one coaching and mentoring schemes for researchers, including mentoring circle programmes to support individual needs.
- Writing workshops, including short but regular sessions and more structured writing retreats, and covering needs from publications to bid writing.
- Institutional commitment to recognition and progression with leadership opportunities, uncapped promotions, and institutional awards such as the VC and HR awards.
- Funded PhD, EdD and MRes programmes for staff. Protected time for research through the Workload Allocation Model.
3. Investment.
Alongside broader strategy and individual development, investment was discussed as a significant contributor to our research culture. Areas such as horizon scanning, targeted funding schemes and infrastructure investment were highlighted in particular as contributing to our research culture and the excellent research that we can produce as a result.
- Library and Information Services and other research enabling roles both centrally and locally were identified as essential to enabling research to take place safely, effectively and to a high standard.
- Internal funding schemes designed to stimulate new research activity and support emerging ideas, funding from the Enhancing Research Culture fund is widely available and used to support research culture initiatives and opportunities.
- Targeted funding used to support opportunities for early career researchers and those returning to research.
- The Estates Masterplan demonstrates the University’s investment in physical infrastructure to support our research ambitions.
4. Collaboration was an important theme, with clear recognition that excellent research does not happen in isolation.
Leaders highlighted diverse examples of collaborative work, from involvement of undergraduate students in research to crucial relationships with industry and international collaborators to maximise impact.
- Wide range of partnerships with external organisations, including industry, education and international collaborators, contributing to societal benefit, economic development and institutional reputation.
- Faculty research and innovation conferences to share research within and across faculties.
- Industry engagement events for staff and students allowing our research to be shared and open to all.
- Collaborative projects involving students offering exposure to real-world applications of research and development of relationships.
- Staff serving on external boards and advisory groups extending the reach and influence of the University’s research.
Looking forward
Alongside these strengths, areas for development were also considered. Although much support is available, it was recognised that there is a need to make support mechanisms more visible and easier to navigate. There is potential to build stronger connections between colleagues and groups, learning from areas of strength and breaking down remaining silos. Ideas to take this forward included enhancing collaborative spaces for colleagues to connect, and better identifying and connecting skills to facilitate collaboration. Local and informal elements of culture were also acknowledged as an important way in which researchers are supported, considering how everyday interactions, from finance to the library to technical support and admin support all have a major part to play in creating an excellent and supportive research environment.
The Strategic Leaders Away Day demonstrated recognition of the importance of research culture across all areas of the university, and willingness to build upon this. Strong underpinning policies, meaningful investment and a wide range of supportive practices were discussed. While some ‘bigger picture’ opportunities were identified, the day also demonstrated that there are also many pockets of good practice across the university which can be identified, shared, and taken up more broadly. A strong message from the day was that everyone can contribute to our research culture, wherever they may sit in the University.
The example, actions and lessons taken from today will be summarised and fed back to the University R&I teams, the Research Culture and Development Group and will be used in our future REF returns statements to demonstrate that an excellent research environment is the concern of everyone in the University.
The areas that we’ve covered in this blog are far from an exhaustive list of the University’s activity around research culture. If you are aware of any examples of good work taking place that contributes to enhancing our research culture, or have any ideas or opportunities in mind, you can get in touch at [email protected]. You can also find out more about our Enhancing Research Culture programme.