What is Impact?
Academic impact
 The demonstrable contribution that excellent research makes to academic
advances, across and within disciplines, including significant advances in
understanding, methods, theory and application
Economic and societal impacts
 The demonstrable contribution that excellent research makes to society
and the economy. Economic and societal impacts embrace all the diverse
ways in which research-related knowledge and skills benefit individuals,
organisations and nations by:
 fostering global economic performance, and specifically the economic
competitiveness of the European Union
 increasing the effectiveness of public services and policy
 enhancing quality of life, health and creative output
Impact in Horizon 2020
 Academic Impact useful to demonstrate ‘excellence’ of
applicants but has less weighting than economic/social
 General principle in H2020
 IMPACT = INNOVATION = COMMERCIALISATION
 Turning research outputs into economic growth, jobs and
wealth creation = commercialisation
 Improving the lives of the EU citizen (policy & public
services)= dissemination
 You need a plan for both!
Why does impact matter?
 Accountability
 spending public money means demonstrating the benefits of that
investment to society
 Quality
 research can be improved by engagement with a broad range of
potential beneficiaries
 Maximising benefits
 shortening the time to benefit, and increasing the impact investments
in research and innovation have
 Reputation
 enhance attractiveness for research and innovation investment
University is a generator of knowledge
Research costs money
Funders what to see a “return”
Impact
If they see a return, they will keep funding
Impact
Types of impact
Research
Outcome
Public
Understanding
Professional
Understanding
Commercial
Opportunities
Research
Collaborations
Policy
Societal
Benefit
Academic
Understanding
Impact Statements – UK Perspective
Facilitating impact at Oxford
Department
Research
Outcome
Division
Collegiate University
Research Support
& KE network
Public
Understanding
Professional
Understanding
Commercial
Opportunities
Research
Collaborations
Policy
Societal
Benefit
Incubators
Museums
Science Oxford
Press coverage
Academic
Understanding
Oxford Impacts