"Impact", and showing that researchers have achieved it, will be a part of the Research Excellence Framework (REF), the replacement for the RAE.
The website for REF 2014 has a section "Decisions on assessing research impact":
http://www.hefce.ac.uk/research/ref/pubs/2011/01_11/
At least one university has already started to think about how to present its evidence to REF. It asked me to look over draft submissions from raft of different disciplines. (I had earlier edited some RAE submissions for other universities)
Looking at these pilot drafts proved to me that academics can use all the help they can get to make their case. (I think my role was to be as beastly as possible about the quality of the submissions that I received so that the vice chancellor who asked me to do the work could go back and beat people around the head.) Some throw away great examples of impact. Others seem to think that getting the next grant counts as impact. Maybe there is an effect on their careers, but it doesn't do much for the rest of the world.
As HEFCE puts it:
"Case studies may include any social, economic or cultural impact or benefit beyond academia that has taken place during the assessment period, and was underpinned by excellent research produced by the submitting institution within a given timeframe."
Not the " beyond academia" phrase in there.
HEFCE also talks specifically about "Impacts or benefits arising from engaging the public". If universities fail to bring in the Public Engagement in Science and Technology community then they are shooting themselves in the foot.
MK
PS Please please please ensure that folks use the "I" word properly, and not as the horrible consultant-speak verb that many people like to think.
-----Original Message-----
From: psci-com: on public engagement with science [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Peter Lancaster
Sent: 2011-October-08 09:58
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [PSCI-COM] 'pathways to impact'
NPL have done some work on analysing impact:
http://www.npl.co.uk/commercial-services/sector-case-studies/assessing-impact
and:
Impact Assessment as an Integral Part of R&D Programmes given at the UK-Innovation Research Centre (at the University of Cambridge) by NPL's Tim Jones in 2010.
http://ukirc.ac.uk/misc/Tim_Jones_RD_impact_NPL.pdf
Peter L
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