Colleagues from across the sector came together this week for the second Research and Knowledge Exchange Symposium convened by GuildHE. This annual event is presented by our research consortium, GuildHE Research, and our Knowledge Exchange, Innovation, and Place network. It highlights topics that are front of mind for diverse institutions engaged in R&D.
A time of contrasts
The symposium took place at a time of contrasts. The UK is arguably having an ‘R&D moment’: there are record investments in R&D by the UK Government over this spending review period, a post-16 education white paper co-written by departments with responsibilities in research, innovation, and skills, as well as education, and an industrial strategy that sees universities as an essential partner in its delivery. And yet, institutions are feeling the pinch of rising costs, rising deficits, and significant public pressure to justify their actions and their value.
Considerable change is taking place in research and innovation funding; a bumpy start to the communications around UKRI’s new direction has compounded existing fears that those with the least competitive advantage will be nudged out, regardless of how excellent they are, or the contribution they make. Knowledge Exchange (KE) is navigating changes to funding, and uncertainty around the future of the framework and the concordat, all whilst being the anticipated driver for economic growth, spin-outs, and external investment.
Capturing and evidencing the full value of knowledge exchange
The first panel took this latter issue head on, presenting a range of perspectives on how KE arising from arts and humanities disciplines can be better captured and valued. Evelyn Wilson of NCACE drew on their dissection of REF Impact Case Studies to illustrate the significant funding gap experienced by these subjects, as contrasted to the vital role their KE activities play in the wider cultural and creative sector - the museums, galleries, theatres, and companies that drive public engagement with culture and the UK's creative industries. Mai Musie presented insights from focus groups that fundamentally challenged the way KE is valued, whilst Valeria Ramirez of the University of Cambridge illustrated how the metrics used to evaluate KE drive behaviours - and what might be done to stop the metric tail wagging the arts and humanities impact dog.
Leveraging specialisms for impact
When it comes to impact, leveraging research to inform policy is a route many researchers would like to explore, but how can you do it well and with impact, whatever your institutional scale and focus? We invited Sarah Carter-Bell of the Knowledge Exchange Unit in Parliament to respond. Participants were given tangible routes to make their research visible to parliamentarians, with sage advice about how to package insights to make them usable - and what to expect when they do get used. Laura Bea from the Universities Policy Engagement Network provided her reflections on building effective networks and processes for policy engagement, encouraging institutions of all sizes to engage with UPEN’s excellent programme of webinars and workshops.
Technician Commitment Action Plan
Underpinning all research and KE, however it ends up getting used and communicated to the wider world, are technical skills of one kind or another. GuildHE published its first action plan in support of the Technician Commitment earlier this month, so we dedicated the final session to technicians. We heard about the extensive programme of support available from the National Technician Development Centre, with Ian Tidmarsh emphasising the expansion of CPD available for technicians working in creative disciplines, and those supporting learning and teaching. Harper Adams’ Victoria Talbot reflected on the development of technical support at the agricultural specialist institution and her own pioneering work to secure recognition and visibility for the technicians that make projects possible and accelerate progress. Consultant Tim Savage concluded the day with insights from his own research into teaching and supporting technical skills in the creative arts, tracking a significant (if slow) shift in the presence of technicians in policy, from being invisible, to being potentially more visible - such as in the REF. Technicians are the essential ingredient that takes a student or a researcher from ‘wanting to’ do something, to ‘being able to’. By bridging those gaps they also break down barriers that can play an essential role in making an individual feel they belong in a course or an institution.
We are grateful for the contribution of all our speakers and to all participants for their brilliant and insightful questions on the day. GuildHE will continue to advocate for the benefits to UK R&D of a diverse sector in which institutions of all kinds can be supported to thrive and contribute. There are challenges ahead, not least ensuring that our members’ voices are heard amongst all those that will be clamouring for airtime with those making decisions. However, we remain optimistic that, collectively, we can shine a light on excellent research, impactful knowledge exchange, and what is required to make the most of that for the UK.
The symposium will return in 2027 - we hope to see you there!