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A
Advisory Role
Work undertaken by an individual, typically contributing as part of a group, providing advice to a policy or decision-making entity. For academics, this role nearly always aligns with a research specialism or area of expertise.
B
Bibliometrics
Bibliometrics are quantitative publication and citation data that can be used to measure the impact of your research, help you decide where to publish, increase your research visibility and citations, evidence your strengths, and find collaborators
Business Engagement
These are activities that promote commercial innovation and knowledge exchange. It can lead to the creation of spin-out companies, research contracts, knowledge transfer partnerships, consultancy and student placements.
C
Causation
Causation indicates that one event is the result of the occurrence of the other event; i.e., there is a causal relationship between the two events. This is also referred to as cause and effect. Causation is an important concept for impact – although there are only a small number of impacts that can claim to be fully causative with regards to the research and the impact, the closer a claim is to showing causality, the stronger it is.
Citizen Science
The practice of public participation and collaboration in scientific research to increase scientific knowledge.
Civic (and Cultural) Engagement
Activities that enrich society at the local, regional, national or global level.
Community Interest Company (CIC)
A CIC is a special type of limited company which exists to benefit the community rather than private shareholders.
Co-designed Research
When research has any element of its design which is informed directly by stakeholders, it can be said to be co-designed.
Collaborative Research
Collaborative research can include research involving academics from other disciplines, from other universities and non-academic partners such as community groups. This type of research can bring distinct expertise to a project.
Commercialising
The process by which new or improved technologies, products, processes and services are brought to market. It requires an intent and mindset to develop and apply an idea to a real problem or unmet need, and to successfully progress along the technical and/or commercial readiness pathways towards it being sold on the market. (UKRI definition)
Consultancy
Consultancy is the provision of expert advice based on existing knowledge. Unlike research, the purpose of undertaking consultancy is not to create new original knowledge, although new information based on the application of expertise to a client’s challenge or problem may result from the work.
Contract Research
Generates new knowledge solely for the use of the client, unlike publicly funded research where outcomes are usually shared.
Correlation
A relationship between two variables, where changing one has an effect on the other. For impact, the term is used to link the uptake of research with the effects observed of mobilising the research-derived knowledge.
Counterfactual
A term primarily associated with thought experiments, a ‘counterfactual group’ is a group that are similar to the ‘treated’ group in all respects except for the inclusion of a particular intervention. This can be a useful way to demonstrate impact as it attempts to show the outcome of applying research-informed interventions with the intention of legitimising the impact claim.
D
Dissemination
Getting research out to broad publics; a one-way transfer of knowledge; a broad term which includes Knowledge Transfer (KT).
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G
Government (UK)
This is the Prime Minister and the MPs and Peers they choose. They will run government departments and public services and are accountable to parliament.
H
Higher Education Business and Community Interaction (HE-BCI)
The Higher Education Business and Community Interaction (HE-BCI) annual survey collects financial and output data related to knowledge exchange each academic year. It provides information on a range of activities, from business and public or third sector involvement in research, to consultancy and the commercialisation of intellectual property. It also explores other activities intended to have direct societal benefits such as the provision of continuing professional development and continuing education courses, and the provision of, for example, public lectures, exhibitions and other cultural activities. Research England also uses elements of the data to inform the allocation of the Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF).
Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF)
HEIF supports knowledge exchange between higher education providers and the wider world that benefits society and the economy.
I
Impact of Research
The effect, change or benefit research has upon the economy, society, culture, public policy or services, health, the environment or quality of life, beyond academia; includes risk/harm reduction your research makes. (Research England definition for the Research Excellence Framework - REF)
Impact Acceleration Accounts (IAA)
IAAs are block grants from the Research Councils to support knowledge exchange and impact from research
Innovation
The introduction of something new. This can be a product, service, process, or a change to something that already exists. Research impacts are often innovations.
Intellectual Property (IP)
Intellectual property (IP) provides the legal rights to protect an invention or creation for a certain period of time. The creation can include literary and artistic works; designs; and symbols, names and images used in commerce. These legal rights confer an exclusive right to the creator/University to fully utilise the invention/creation for a given period of time.
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K
Knowledge Exchange Engagement Portal (KEEP)
This is a Lancaster University Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system. It is used to manage relationships with external organisations and individuals engaged in a variety of activities, including Consultancy, KTPs, Business Support Programmes, Internships, Placements, Student Projects, IP & Commercialisation and co-location. It is mainly for the use of professional services staff.
Knowledge Exchange
Knowledge exchange is a process that brings together academic staff, users of research and wider groups and communities to exchange ideas, evidence and expertise. (Office for Students definition)
Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF)
The KEF is a measurement of how higher education institutes are serving the economy and society for the benefit of publics, businesses and communities. It aims to allow universities to better understand, build on/improve, their performance. It also provides businesses and other users with more information to help them access world-class knowledge and expertise within universities.
Knowledge Transfer
A targeted approach to dissemination, usually aimed at a specific client or audience. The term usually infers the dissemination of information from an academic to a non-academic partner. Whilst this may be the focus in practice it would be unusual if knowledge exchange did not take place.
Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP)
Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) are a programme that helps businesses to improve their competitiveness and productivity. They allow the businesses to access funding and University expertise to deliver strategic projects which help them to develop.
A recently qualified graduate or postgraduate works full-time at the business, with expert guidance by an academic team from Lancaster University. The projects take place over 12-36 months.
L
Licensing
A licence is an agreement between the University, as the IP right owner, and another party. It allows the use of the IP and is often underpinned by a strategic partnership and a legal, contractual agreement.
M
Media Engagement
Engagement with the media can take different approaches including local radio, TV, blogs, social media and newspapers. It can be an effective way of reaching a wide audience. It can inspire people about new research or can inform the public on key issues in the news.
N
Non-Disclosure Agreement
A Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) is put in place prior to sharing any valuable or private information, knowledge or research results with/from a third party (for example, unpublished research data, details about new intellectual property, or non-public costs and prices). This will ensure that the other party keeps the information secret and will allow the parties to hold open discussions, without the fear of the disclosed information being misused or shared with anyone else.
O
Open Research
Open research relates to the idea that scholarly and scientific knowledge (and data) should be shared as freely as possible and as early as possible in the research process across all disciplines, both within and beyond academia.
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P
Parliament (UK)
This is the House of Lords, House of Commons and the Monach. It holds the government to account and makes laws.
Participatory research
See co-designed research
Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE)
This describes the different ways in which members of the public can inform and shape research.
PPIE is different to research participation where members of the public can directly take part in a study, for example by being given a new treatment as part of a clinical trial.
Public involvement describes when members of the public use their views and personal experience of illness and treatment to help to prioritise, plan, deliver, evaluate and share health and social care research.
Policy
A policy is a statement of intent (usually but not always made by government) that describes a problem and broadly outlines how the problem will be addressed. A policy may refer to a proposal, outcome, formal or informal decision, bundle of legislation, or even an absence of action or dialogue.
Policy Engagement
Policy engagement describes the many ways that researchers and policymakers connect and explore common interests at various stages in their respective research and policymaking processes. This has impact when it informs policy creation, change, or abandonment.
Public Engagement
Public engagement describes the myriad of ways in which the activity and benefits of higher education and research can be shared with the public. Engagement is by definition a two-way process, involving interaction and listening, with the goal of generating mutual benefit.
Publications and Research (Pure)
This is Lancaster University's research information management system. It synchronises research information from a number of university systems and feeds into the Research Directory and Staff Profile. Academics and researchers should use PURE to record any engagement activities.
R
Research Excellence Framework (REF)
The REF is the system for assessing research in the UK. It is a measure of research quality, carried out by a process of expert review.
S
Seed Funding
Seed funding is financial support provided to companies that are in their early stages; it allows them to transform ideas into viable businesses. Impact Acceleration Accounts are a potential source of seed funding at the University.
SME – Small to Medium Sized Entity
A term used to define “small” businesses:
A micro business has a staff headcount less than 10 and a turnover of £2 million or less.
A small-sized business has a staff headcount less than 50 and a turnover of £10 million or less.
A medium-sized business has a staff headcount less than 250 and a turnover of £50 million or less.
Social Enterprise
Social enterprises are businesses which trade for a social or environmental purpose. They use the majority of any profit to further their mission.
Spin-out Company
When research breaks new ground it may also provide an exciting new commercial opportunity. Lancaster University has set up a number of spin-out companies. They are a way to commercialise intellectual property (IP) and is the route typically considered when there is no existing business to approach about the new IP.
Stakeholders
University stakeholders can be an individual or an organisation that has an interest in and can either affect or be affected by the University.
T
Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF)
The TEF encourages and recognises high-quality teaching and student outcomes in higher education. It measures excellence in three areas: teaching quality, learning environment, and the educational and professional outcomes achieved by students. Lancaster University was awarded the TEF Gold award in 2017.