Bringing research impact to the forefront

While the outcomes and benefits of academic research have always been a part of the narrative, the imperative to demonstrate ‘real world impact’ has gained traction in recent years.

In a series of articles over the coming months, we will look at different aspects of research impact, and highlight the support and resources available to help our researchers demonstrate the benefits of their work. In this article, we delve into the what and why of research impact and look at Otago’s Research Impact Framework and Research Impact Guide.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research and Enterprise Professor Richard Blaikie says research impact has emerged as a crucial determining factor for government funding agencies.

“In an increasingly competitive research funding environment, agencies are focused on demonstrating that their investments in university research are translating into tangible benefits beyond academia.”

But what do these tangible benefits mean for research impact?

Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) defines research impact as a change to the economy, society or environment, beyond contribution to knowledge and skills in research organisations (see: The Impact of Research, MBIE, 2019).

Within the New Zealand context, the impact agenda has developed in response to Treasury’s Living Standards Framework (LSF). The LSF requires Government’s investments (via various funding mechanisms) to directly enable the drivers of individual and collective wellbeing, leading key research funders like the MBIE and the Health Research Council (HRC) to include stringent requirements around articulating the anticipated impact(s) of research in their funding application templates and processes.

Senior Research Advisory Manager Rachel Elliot says an example would be the MBIE Endeavour Fund, an open, contestable fund focused on ideas and research with the ‘transformational potential’ to enhance New Zealand’s position in areas of future value, growth or critical need, and give effect to Vision Mātauranga.

“Applications to the Endeavour Fund need to articulate a pathway from research idea to impact. Funding proposal templates include sections to outline the benefits to Aotearoa across a range of economic, environmental, and societal objectives.”

Taking a proactive approach in supporting our academics to achieve optimal impact through their research, Otago launched the Research Impact Framework (RIF) in 2022. The RIF takes a nuanced and broad approach to impact, addressing external factors while engaging impact on our own terms − promoting Otago’s identity, values, and strategic priorities, and championing our capacity to work autonomously as a critic and conscience of society.

Professor Blaikie says Vision 2040 and Pae Tata outline Otago’s focus on delivering high quality, impactful research that not only informs our education offering and helps grow enrolments, but also furthers interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research that positively transforms the world we live in, particularly Aotearoa and the Pacific.

“Our research endeavours should have a line of sight to their impact on social wellbeing, commercialisation opportunities and environmental and sustainability challenges, with a view to leveraging our national and international partnerships to achieve outcomes,” he says.

Supporting the RIF, is the Research Impact Guide, a repository of resources, support information and services available to Otago researchers.

Deputy University Librarian Cate Bardwell says the guide is a living resource, which will continue to grow as new information is added. She encourages researchers to bookmark the site and visit it regularly.

“Research impact is an evolving topic with a variety of pathways and outcomes to consider.

“With the Research Impact Guide we hope to shed some light on how the impact of research can be planned for, tracked, and demonstrated.”

~ Kōrero by Sandra French, Adviser Internal Communications.