Understanding and communicating the impact and potential benefits of research to a wide audience is an increasingly important task for higher education professionals. From realising the economic and social benefits of research work, to engaging with key industry and government contacts to create real-life impact, communicating the power of research has never been so important.
Research Impact: Making a Difference
Now the University of Glasgow has established ‘Research Impact: Making a Difference’, a new short online course which promises to show those working with research how to better understand, create and communicate research impact.
The three-week on-line course, which is hosted on the digital education platform FutureLearn, is aimed at those working in the Higher Education sector, including postgraduate students, all grades of academic staff (from young investigators to senior academics) and non-academic research professionals such as research managers. It is also of interest to external stakeholders and sectors interested in working with academia to create research impact. The key messages and learning objectives are applicable to all academic disciplines.
Co-creating impact
The course promises to promote an understanding of the concept of research impact in Higher Education and explain the benefits impact-driven research can have on both society and the economy. Working with a host of partners, including NHS Scotland, GlaxoSmithKline and Glasgow City of Science and Innovation, the course will identify success factors for collaborating and co-creating impact with a wide range of different stakeholders, including industry and government.
Professor Nicol Keith, Professor of Molecular Oncology at the University of Glasgow who leads the course, said: “Universities worldwide are committed to realising the economic and societal impact of their research. By developing this online course with direct input from a range of stakeholders, we hope to help people understand the research impact landscape and importantly to give them tools, tactics and confidence to really make a difference. The course is interactive and we are looking forward to some lively discussions.”