At a recent Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC) impact event, I offered a 'university perspective' on impact drivers and challenges. In this talk, I offer thoughts on the difficulties we still face trying to integrate impact into 'business as usual', and how impact evidence can be captured

1. Research impact: the university
perspective
Julie Bayley
Former Impact Officer
Researcher & Health Psychologist
Coventry University
j.bayley@coventry.ac.uk
@JulieEBayley
Winner 2015 - Impact

2. A quick intro….
• Health Psychologist
– Applied researcher >12 years
– Interventions and behaviour change
• Coventry University Impact officer (2014-6)
– Impact planning, strategy and training
• Association of Research Managers and
Administrators (ARMA)
– Impact Special Interest Group co-lead
– Training and Development committee

3. Coventry context
• Top Modern University 2014/5
• Historically teaching / applied
research
• Extensive growth/change
• Health psychology, nursing, midwifery, allied
health and biomedical expertise
www.coventry.ac.uk

4. Key
drivers
Assessment (REF)
Public benefit and
social responsibility
Funding

5. Research Impact:
• 'the demonstrable contribution that excellent
research makes to society and the economy‘
(RCUK).
• ‘For the purposes of the REF, impact is defined as
an effect on, change or benefit to the economy,
society, culture, public policy or services, health,
the environment or quality of life, beyond
academia’ (HEFCE)

6. Research Impact:
• 'the demonstrable contribution that excellent
research makes to society and the economy‘
(Research Councils).
• ‘For the purposes of the REF, impact is defined as
an effect on, change or benefit to the economy,
society, culture, public policy or services, health,
the environment or quality of life, beyond
academia’ (HEFCE)

7. Impact is change
Impact occurs when research is successfully translated
into practice, e.g.:
Access to services
Quality of life
Condition management
Effectiveness of therapy
Confidence
Mortality
Severity of symptoms
Medicine waste
Misdiagnosis
Improved
Reduced

8. For (REF 2014) assessment…
• High quality (2* and above) research
– List papers and grants
• Conducted at the institution since 1993
– Even in academic leaves, university ‘keeps’ impact
• Case studies showing direct link (research to effects)
– Not individual expertise / consultancy
• Evidenced (and auditable) change
– Not provable, not submissible
• Impact judged as unclassified or 1-4*
Awaiting
REF2021
rules

9. For funding…
• Funder impact is broader than REF impact
– Often includes ‘academic impact’
• Increased emphasis on impact in proposal
content
• Impact ‘appears’ in various forms
– e.g. innovation, change, benefits, making a
difference……
• Very competitive

10. Understanding and overcoming challenges

11. Shifting from simplistic knowledge
transfer / exchange…

12. Co-
production
…to knowledge
mobilisation and co-
production

13. Capturing and demonstrating
impact
• Need to be able to PROVE change has
happened
• No single or ‘gold standard’ way to do this
• It’s about appropriateness and strength of
evidence…..

14. Example types of evidence
• Testimonials
• ‘Data’ (survey, service access…)
• Awards
• Patents
• Policy citation
• Practitioner guidance change
• Organisational reports

15. Capturing and demonstrating
impact
Four key questions
1. What changes?

16. Capturing and demonstrating
impact
Four key questions
1. What changes?
Big or small
Don’t dismiss small changes….they add up eg:
• Improved staff awareness
• Improved patient engagement
Is there a sequence of changes?

17. Capturing and demonstrating
impact
Four key questions
1. What changes?
2. How will you know?

18. Capturing and demonstrating
impact
Four key questions
1. What changes?
2. How will you know?
What information could tell you the change has
happened? Who could tell you? How can you track? Who
do you need to partner with?

19. Capturing and demonstrating
impact
Four key questions
1. What changes?
2. How will you know?
3. How could you most appropriately/strongly
‘prove’ it?

20. Capturing and demonstrating
impact
Four key questions
1. What changes?
2. How will you know?
3. How could you most appropriately/strongly
‘prove’ it?
Can you measure it? Or do you need to get patient
feedback? What method is most suitable?

21. Capturing and demonstrating
impact
Four key questions
1. What changes?
2. How will you know?
3. How could you most appropriately/strongly
‘prove’ it?
4. How will you record it?

22. Summary and ‘where next?’
• Impact = provable change
• Higher Education sector experienced but still
overcoming challenges
• Asking the right questions - reflecting the
topic/health condition – points you at the right
indicators and evidence

23. Thanks
Any questions?
Julie Bayley
j.bayley@coventry.ac.uk
@JulieEBayley