University Plan. Research Strategy

This section has been approved by Senate and Council.

Background

1. Following the 1996 Research exercise, we have reviewed our research policies. In that exercise we achieved a substantial absolute increase in performance with the virtual eradication of Grades 2. Nevertheless, we lost a significant quantity of  HEFCE research revenue following the progressive reward scheme decided on by the funding body after the results. This was one of the major drivers for the 1997 plan which simplified structures, removed some of the underperforming areas, and provided a framework in which it will be possible to achieve better performance, a better portfolio of funding, and ultimately greater activity.

Against this background the expected drop in postgraduate entries especially a drop of up to 10 per cent in Research Students in 1998/99 compared with 1997/98 is unwelcome, although wholly understandable in the present economic environment given our mix of subjects. Departments have in hand various strategies for handling these problems.

Plan

1. We have a continuing commitment to research excellence.
2. We plan to:

• Promote a strong research culture including
  • A flexible, responsive portfolio of activity
  • Effective management structures for research
  • High quality training mentoring and professional updating in research methods
  • An environment in which good, relevant research activity is automatically encouraged and supported.
• Expand the range and quantity of funding streams
• Develop robust procedures for costing research and ensuring that planning decisions are informed by a knowledge of the full costs 
• Provide appropriate support services at central, faculty, and departmental level to assist departments
• Ensure that Departments have mechanisms for developing, reviewing and updating their research plans and that these plans include

• Developing research facilities and other communal research resources, including research support staff where appropriate
• Optimising the research productivity of academic staff through workload allocation and the use of Research Terms
• Providing effective supervision and training for research students and research staff, and ensuring that their work contributes effectively to the overall research output of the Department

• Invest to improve research standing in areas which have

• • A realistic research strategy in line with university targets and congruent with its mission
  • A sound basis of postgraduate and undergraduate recruitment to sustain the research
  • A current sound financial basis
  • A clear strategy to remain solvent during and after the end of the planning period
• Focus research planning on quality of output so that

• Research is completed in a timely fashion
• Research is published in appropriate format and medium
• International recognition is targeted through the choice of high-profile research publication outlets

• Use initial staff training, mentoring, CPD and regular appraisal to enhance individual research performance and to ensure congruence between individual research plans and departmental research strategy.
• Give departments further responsibility for achieving their research and consulting targets.
• Monitor research performance and plan accordingly a strategy for submission to the 2001 Research Assessment Exercise to achieve our targets.
• Simplify and make more effective our management of research whilst retaining successful centres and units as well as departments.

Targets

1. We shall, by 2000/2001:

• Achieve an income of at least £16M p.a. from all research sources
• Have at least 40 per cent of this income from sources other than the  DfEE/DTI  including HEFCE or the Research Councils whilst retaining DfEE research income at at least its current levels.
• Stabilise our UK research council (excluding the new Humanities Research Board) income at at least £3M p.a.
• Have an average overhead recovery rate of at least 45 per cent on research income with no department less than 25 per cent
• Have at least 360 research students
• Have each department with at least one FTE research postdoctoral or research student per FTE RAE returned academic staff and at least 2 FTE for every senior member of staff (Senior Lecturer and above)
• Have at least 60 research students from the EU but not the UK
• Have at least 85 overseas research students
• Have over 90 per cent of academic staff returnable at 3A or above level in the assessment exercise
• With at least 80 per cent of those entered being in units that subsequently achieve a grade 4 or higher (or equivalent)
• And with at least 30% of those entered being in units that subsequently achieve a grade 5 or 5* (or equivalent)

Achieving the targets

1. The overall targets have been produced by taking the most recent figures and extrapolating optimistically. Departmental plans will show in detail the relevant targeted sources.
2. Each department is already planning to achieve at least a grade 4 in all its main submitted units. While, at any given time individual departments may only achieve a 3A through transient factors such as staff turnover, an unsympathetic panel, or an exceptionally high surplus of funds leading to a persistently sustained abnormally high overall load incurred to help the University transitionally, departments should target achieving and retaining international recognition (and hence HEFCE recognition). Every academic is expected to be conducting research of nationally recognised quality and hence a grade lower than 3A should not normally be possible. There are also some areas such as local history where international recognition is hard.
3. We shall ensure that departments allocate sufficient funds to meet postgraduate targets by providing bursaries for first year research students and subsequently teaching assistanships for second and third year research students. This will involve them in releasing other part time teaching or staff funds.
4. During 1997/8, departments have put a good deal of effort and resource into drawing up their research plans and these have been carefully scrutinised by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor to ensure that they are realistic and in line with this strategy. Departmental plans will need to be consistent and be informed by the future RAE, by funding opportunities, and possibly by the needs of the nation and the region in line with HEFCE's mission.
5. The University views the Research Assessment Exercise as one in which to establish the reputation of its departments so that they can subsequently engage in prestigious activities that generate activity and revenue and research assistants and students by research and consultancy by working with others, in the region, in other HEIs, and internationally.

Infrastructure

1. We shall rationalise the structures of the committees and offices handling research and research students to ensure that

• A University committee acts as an effective strategic body in research and research student matters
• Work is not replicated between departmental, faculty and central administrative functions
• the central, faculty, and departmental structures support the University in developing productive regional, overseas and EU collaborations and links
• Procedures for research supervision and mentoring are kept in line with best practice, followed, and monitored
• Good reporting and quality structures are in place.

1. The role of the Office for Research and Business Services (ORBS) is to support the research and consulting activities of the University. It does this in part through the collection and dissemination of information on research and funding opportunities, the approval of funding proposals, the negotiation of contracts, checking the detail of financial and legal arrangements, and announcing budgets for contracts and grants. It also services the University's industrial consulting, and development activities and has a proactive role in working with industry and the public sector locally to identify opportunities for the University.

We shall

• rapidly review allocation of resources in order to provide ORBS with staffing adequate to fulfil its core roles, including taking a proactive role in support of departments in identifying and securing new opportunities for research and income generation.
• seek partnership funding for projects to enable ORBS to complete full audits both of the University's research capabilities and of potential local and regional research clients
• improve the flow of management information and remove any replication of functionality between ORBS and others (including  Finance, Personnel and Communications & Development Office) by reviewing the current impediments to the free flow of information and by defining service levels.
• review policy on consultancies to ensure that individuals are rewarded for consultancy work and channelled efficiently through the centre

1. We shall ensure that information on the University's research activities and achievements is publicised effectively, so that the University's public research profile is enhanced and that maximum impact is achieved with a range of public target groups.
2. We shall improve the information available to research grant holders and potential research grant holders by providing access to financial and other management information on grants and contracts.
3. We shall improve our staff development for research including initial training and professional updating in key areas including managing research, collaborating effectively, and attracting funds.
4. We shall utilise electronic facilities including the WWW to facilitate the achievement of our research objectives.
5. We shall implement rapidly and correctly nationally agreed typology arrangements for research degrees so as to adhere to emerging European and UK standards in this area.

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Last updated: 26 February 1999