The purpose of this Toolkit is to offer a suite of research-based tools that can be used by higher education institutions to:
- Develop a formal research impact strategy
- Devise strategies for leading, managing and practicing impact
- Align impact work with engagement, knowledge exchange, outreach and quality improvement
- Inform teaching and learning
- Improve processes and infrastructure
- Build capacity, skills and knowledge
The Research Leader's Impact Toolkit is an Advance HE member benefit and was devised by Dr Elizabeth Morrow an independent researcher. This work was made possible by the support of the four higher education funding councils of the UK.
What is the Research Leader’s Impact Toolkit?
This toolkit is for higher education institutions to develop an embedded approach to research impact. It covers a broad spectrum of impact areas to enable different staff groups and stakeholders to coordinate the leadership and management of impact. The toolkit is divided into nine sections underpinned by three main themes.
Who is it for?
This toolkit is for anyone tasked with research impact. So far this has been frequently used by people in these kinds for roles:
- Research and impact officers
- Coordinators and managers
- Research Heads of Department
- Directors of Research
- Associate Deans of Research
- Research Fellows
Use the introductory PDF Research Leaders Impact Toolkit for a complete guide on how to make the best of the toolkit according to your job role.
How will this benefit my institution?
The use of this toolkit will enable your institution to:
- Develop or update a formal Research Impact Strategy
- Devise strategies for leading, managing and practising impact
- Align impact work with engagement, knowledge exchange, outreach and quality improvement
- Inform research practice
- Improve processes and infrastructure
- Build capacity, skills and knowledge for research careers
How long will it take?
We have designed the toolkit for you to work through in the way that most suits you and your institution’s needs. It can be used collaboratively with teams or individually. How long it takes is entirely based on the time you need to make it work for you. We see it used as part of an iterative process, and it is therefore a resource that you can return to.
I would like to discuss using the toolkit with teams in my institution.
We can help you to embed the toolkit quicker and deeper into your institution’s research practice. See our in-house delivery options for more information.
Research Leader's Impact Toolkit - Introductory PDF
The Research Leader's Impact Toolkit introductory PDF is a complete guide on how to make the best of the toolkit according to your job role. The toolkit is an Advance HE Member benefit.
Research Leader's Impact Toolkit - Orientating
Orientating is in the Understanding section of the toolkit. It is about orientating to the different definitions, principles, drivers, benefits and challenges of impact.
Research Leader's Impact Toolkit - Visioning
Visioning is in the Understanding section of the toolkit. This is about visioning outstanding impact, rationale and interests, anticipated benefits, impact targets, and areas for improvement.
Research Leader's Impact Toolkit - Mobilising
Mobilising is in the Understanding section of the toolkit. This is about mobilising through leadership, management, staff skills and knowledge development, and accessing support.
Research Leader's Impact Toolkit - Engaging
Engaging is in the Developing section of the toolkit. This area is about engaging whole organisations in impact, interdisciplinary research, Knowledge Exchange, stakeholder engagement and public involvement.
Research Leader's Impact Toolkit - Integrating
Integrating is in the Developing section of the toolkit. This is about integrating impact into different types of research, exploring routes to impact, timeframes for impact, impact statements and impact plans
Research Leader's Impact Toolkit - Embedding
Embedding is the in the Developing section. This is about embedding impact in organisational culture, mechanisms for exchange, connecting with context, universal structures for impact and propagating promising impact.
Research Leader's Impact Toolkit - Evaluating
Evaluating is in the Evidencing section of the toolkit. This is about evaluating impact, planning an evaluation, evaluating stakeholder engagement, public involvement and the strength of your claim to impact.
Research Leader's Impact Toolkit - Capturing
Capturing is in the Evidencing section of the toolkit. It is about capturing different types of impact evidence, using measures, indicators, altmetrics and research information systems.
Research Leader's Impact Toolkit - Communicating
Communicating is in the Evidencing section of the toolkit. This area is all about communicating with policymakers, research users and the public, using the internet and social media for impact.