(S5E1) How has research impact affected research culture?

Research Culture Uncovered

In our weekly Research Culture Uncovered conversations we are asking what is Research Culture and why does it matter? This is the first episode of Season 5, where we are investigating the impact of impact on research culture. In this episode your host Ged is joined by Professor Richard (Rick) Holliman.

Rick is Professor of Engaged Research at the Open University in the UK. In his research, Rick examines tensions between theories and practices of knowledge exchange by evaluating examples where researchers and ‘publics’ have sought to (co)produce impacts derived from research. Through this work, he developed the concept of engaged research, a principled approach to co-constructing ‘publics’ to work reflexively in meaningful ways to generate, reflect on and evidence social and economic impacts.

I discuss with Rick what the impact of research impact on research culture has been since ~ 2009/10 when the 'impact agenda' first started in the UK. During the discussion we acknowledge our own stances and draw out the following messages:

• The impact agenda has felt like a top-down imposition but it has always existed
• As a sector we are still making our way in implementing the impact agenda appropriately at a cultural / organisational level
• The inclusion of research impact in research assessment in the UK had positive affects on the overall budget for research in the 2010s
• The ways in which we can do this better - reduced precarity, recognising and celebrating it and working with colleagues to have it formally acknowledged in promotion
• We all need to be involved in the conversations (big and small) to deliver the futures we want.

You can connect with Rick on LinkedIn and find out more about his research from his publication profile. He also runs the Open University's Engaged Research blog.

Be sure to check out the other episodes in this season to find out more.

Links:

• Researcher Development and Culture Website
• Our Concordat Implemention plans and progress
• University of Leeds Research Culture Statement
• University of Leeds Responsible Metrics Statement
• University of Leeds Open Research Statement

Follow us on twitter: @ResDevLeeds, @OpenResLeeds, @ResCultureLeeds, @HallGed

Connect to us on LinkedIn: @ResearchUncoveredPodcast, @GedHall

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