Impact Workshop (14): Development of Impact Case Studies for REF 2014 – Process and Issues

Abstract:

Professor Evans will discuss the development of impact cases for the UK’s REF2014. Being head of a School at Queen Mary University of London he needed to develop sufficient impact case studies to submit staff to both the biological sciences and chemistry panels. He will discuss the process of development and some of the issues with which they had to deal in the run-up to submission in November 2013.

About the Speaker:

Before joining HKU as Dean of the Faculty of Science in 2016, Professor Matthew Evans was the Head of School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, and Professor of Ecology, at the Queen Mary University of London.

Professor Evans has been involved in all the UK RAE since 1990. For the 2014 exercise in the UK, the School of Biological and Chemical Sciences with 40 academic staff to submit needed to develop 5 impact case studies for submissions to the biological sciences and chemistry panels. 

Background on the Workshops:

Impact is a key element of the University's knowledge exchange (KE) strategy. It is also important to note that in the Panel-Specific Assessment Criteria for  the UGC RAE 2014, all the Panels included under the "Esteem" measure some elements relating to KE/technology transfer. This suggests that the next Hong Kong RAE will likely require evidence of impact and the UK experience indicates that now is the time to start collecting evidence of such impacts.

The Knowledge Exchange Office is organising workshops to be conducted by researchers who have hands-on experience in preparing impact statements and impact case studies the UK Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014 or  research councils overseas. The workshops will be of interest not only to colleagues who want to maximise the impact of their research, but also to those who coordinate research developments and research assessment in Faculties.