Research Impact Gateway: all you need to know
Impact embraces the diverse ways in which knowledge and skills generated by research benefit individuals, organisations and communities. Government has made increasing requests for evidence to show the contribution that research makes to the economy, including impact on society and culture. As a consequence both HEFCE, through the new Research Excellence Framework, and the Research Councils, through their award schemes, have initiated processes to document research impact and encourage research-led knowledge transfer beyond academia.
The Research Impact Gateway offers a single point of access for information about how to maximise the non-academic impact of your research for academics and researchers at the University of Bath. There are links to external bodies such as the Research Councils, the Research Excellence Framework, and to further reading about the theory and practice of making an impact. Also included is information on our internal systems for supporting and promoting the impact of our research.
The University of Bath's commitment: research excellence and making a difference
The University of Bath's mission statement includes a commitment to research excellence and also to benefiting the wider population through our research, enterprise and influence. Our aim is to provide a research environment that promotes scientific excellence at all levels and maximises the application and impact of our research.
Corporate Plan - Research Strategy - Bath Impact Stories - Bath Impact Acceleration Account (IAA)
Definitions and literature: read all about it
There are many ways to define non-academic impact and a growing literature about research impact.
RCUK Definition - RCUK Expectations - HEFCE REF Definition - An International Review of Impact Culture - Definitions of Output; Outcome; Impact - Impact of Social Sciences Handbook
The Research Councils: pathways to future impact
Applications for Research Council funding must include statements of “Pathways to Impact”: this is based on the idea that “impacts from research can be generated through a range of diverse pathways, can take many forms, can become manifest at different stages in the research process and beyond and can be promoted through many different mechanisms”.
RDSO Best Practice - RCUK Guidance - EPSRC Guidance - ESRC Guidance - BBSRC Guidance - MRC Guidance - NERC Guidance - AHRC Guidance - STFC Guidance
Impact in the Research Excellence Framework (REF)
Assessing the impact of excellent research is one of the six aims for the REF.
University of Bath REF Preparations - HEFCE REF Information - REF Impact Pilot - Feedback on Pilot Submissions - Social Policy Review of the Impact Pilot - Impact Indicators
Making your research available
Letting people know about your research will help to increase its potential impact: deposit the full text of your publications in the University's repository, Opus; let us know about your research successes; keep your web pages up to date.
Opus - Bath Impact Stories - Bath Research News - Document the impact of your research - PURE
Document the impact of your research
In order to be able to tell a strong impact story about your research, you will need to have access to details about the work. Different audiences will require the story telling in different ways (see the examples) but the underlying facts will be constant. We have developed a template to help you think about and record the process that has led to impact from your research.
Bath Impact Stories - KTA Case Histories - EPSRC Impact World - ESRC Case Studies - BBSRC Impact Stories - MRC Impact Stories - KTP Case Studies - British Academy Case Studies - AHRC Impact Stories
How to develop impact: Knowledge Transfer; Continuing Professional Development; and other activities
Think about impact at each stage of your research: there are of sources of information within the University who can help with planning, they may even be able to facilitate funding for specific activities.
Research Development & Support Office - Knowledge Transfer Partnerships - The Bath Impact Acceleration Account (IAA) - Bath Ventures - Continuing Professional Development - RCUK Knowledge Transfer Portal - Support for writing Pathways to Impact - National Coordinating Centre for Public Engagement - UoB Public Engagement