Impact
What is Impact?
People often ask ‘what is impact?’ and usually think that disseminating to an audience means your research has had an impact. However, knowledge exchange (e.g. publishing, conferences, meetings) is a pre-cursor to impact via learning; it is a pathway to impact.
Impact starts when you see the benefits, which must be measured in some way.
5 Principles to Underpin your Impact
| Design |
Understand what everyone wants Take your time Design knowledge exchange carefully Have a Plan B Research stakeholders before you've started Get buy-in Be neutral managing research Use a variety of methods Find and use knowledge brokers |
|---|---|
| Represent |
Involve the right people Pay attention to power differences] Involve all parties as early as possible Represent full diversity of interest Understand and create networks |
| Engage |
Discover motivations Build capacity for engagement via knowledge exchange Build personal relationships Use multiple modes of communication Keep it accessible Work around commitments Keep records Respect local knowledge Share responsibilities |
| Early Impact |
Deliver quick wins Work for your mutual benefits |
| Reflect and Sustain |
Get participant feedback regularly Make time for impact reflection Ensure continuity of involvement Maintain momentum |
Research Impact and Communication Strategy
Research Impact is defined by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) as the “demonstrable contribution that excellent research makes to society and the economy”. That is, the measurable benefits that research has outside of academia to society, the economy, or the environment.
Our Research Impact and Communication strategy sets out a framework that will bolster the University’s Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2029 submission, with the aim of increasing our Quality-Related (QR) funding allocation.
