If you are a researcher at the University of Bath, you can access and use a number of resources to support you with your research impact.

Understanding and achieving impact from our research is becoming increasingly important. The impact of our research influences funding decisions and our performance in research assessment exercises.

Two key definitions of research impact are:

• 'the demonstrable contribution that excellent research makes to society and the economy', RCUK.

• 'an effect on, change or benefit to the economy, society, culture, public policy or services, health, the environment or quality of life, beyond academia', Higher Education Funding Council for England.

Achieving impact is an integral part of the University’s research culture. A key objective of the University's research strategy is: 'optimising the intellectual, scientific, economic, social and cultural impacts of our research'.

As a researcher you will need to think about impact throughout the research life cycle and beyond. For example, you may be in the process of:

• developing your research and needing to identify and engage your stakeholders, or embedding impact into your research grant applications
• undertaking your research and wanting to build in mechanisms to capture evidence of impact
• completing your research and developing an impact case study

Impact Acceleration Account (IAA)
The University EPSRC-funded and ESRC-funded Impact Acceleration Accounts (IAA), this includes funding available through the Open Call for projects which relate to a past EPSRC grant.

University Impact Fund
Apply to the University Impact Fund, to help you develop and evidence the impact of your research and inform your REF impact case study. At the University of Bath you will be supported to identify, plan for and evidence the impact of your research.

Guide to Knowledge Exchange
See our guide on Supporting your Knowledge Exchange and Research Impact for information and resources to support you with KE and achieving impact through your research.

RIS has developed a toolkit, in conjunction with other professional services and academics, to help you plan for impact.

Using the toolkit can help you to think through:

• what problem or need your research is trying to address
• what changes you hope that your research will bring about, and how these could be achieved
• how and when to engage and involve the right people and organisations in your research
• how to plan for, evidence and achieve impact from your research

Other toolkits that you might find useful:

• ASPECT toolkit - a Social sciences Platform for Entrepreneurship, Commercialisation and Transformation funded by Research England’s Connecting Capability Fund
• ESRC impact toolkit - includes tips for doing Knowledge Exchange

Research impact team
A great place to start with your research impact question is with the research impact team in Research and Innovation Services (RIS). They will be able to help answer your question and signpost you to the right people to help address your specific need(s). They work closely with others across the University who are involved in supporting you with Impact. This includes the research development managers, the research marketing and press office, the public engagement unit, as well as your faculty and departmental impact leaders. Email: research-impact@bath.ac.uk

Faculty and departmental impact leads
Each faculty and department has an identified lead for research impact. At a faculty level this is your Associate Dean for Research. Your impact lead can help you with all aspects of impact; from identifying possible routes to impact through to evidencing your impact. They can also signpost you to other University resources to help you with your impact questions.

As a researcher there are many benefits to identifying, involving and engaging your non-academic stakeholders early in your research. This includes enhancing the impact of your research through the sharing of knowledge, expertise, ideas and experiences.

There are two useful courses that have been developed on University of Bath Moodle that can help you with this:

• Knowledge Exchange Hub: introduces the concept of KE and how this can enhance your research and help you to achieve impact from your research - You can self-enrol through the Moodle platform

• Public Engagement Hub: introduces you to concept of public engagement from University of Bath perspective, how it can enhance your research and be a pathway to achieving impact - You can request access through the Moodle platform

Alternatively you can download the Moodle Introduction to Knowledge Exchange pdf.

The UK Parliament Knowledge Exchange Unit supports the exchange of information and expertise between researchers and the UK Parliament. They offer:

• 'Parliament for researchers', to explore how research can be used to engage with Parliament
• online training for research and knowledge mobilisers
• committees to consider policy issues, scrutinise government work, expenditure, and proposals for legislation

The following platforms can help you connect with businesses:

• Invest Bristol and Bath - for services including introductions to cluster networks, meetups and event activity
• Konfer - an intelligent brokerage platform for UK universities and businesses
• Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN) - bringing together businesses, academics, government agencies and researchers for knowledge transfer
  
• West of England Growth Hub - for access to extensive, connected network of business knowledge and skills partners

More on finding collaborators and networks.

There are also people at the University who can help you to identify, engage and involve stakeholders. This includes industry, business, public, private and community sectors, and the general public. Contact the Public Engagement Unit and RIS for support.

You can learn more about Knowledge Exchange, Research Impact, and Public Engagement through the following University Moodle courses for University of Bath staff:

• Moodle: Knowledge Exchange Hub
• Moodle: Introduction to Knowledge Exchange (pdf download)
  
• Moodle: Public Engagement Knowledge Hub

You can also:

• see the RIS event listing including our Lunch with Impact series.
• watch recordings from previous RIS events including the HSS KE Showcase Week 2022

Ignite+ events
We offer academics support and funding to run Ignite+ events for business engagement and collaborations. The team also provides regular online Ignite+ Bitesize sessions covering different aspects of KE. More on our Ignite+ events.

Responsible Research and Innovation
The University has commissioned a new short online self-guided course from Orbit to provide researchers a brief introduction to Responsible Research and Innovation. RRI aims to engage a broad range of stakeholders to discuss how science and technology can be used in the best possible way to not only contribute to solve today’s problems, but also create a world that will be desirable for future generations.