Co-creating impact action plans — Researchful

Co-creating impact action plans

University of Exeter

Effective planning is key to achieving impact, unless serendipity intervenes. Involving stakeholders in research design requires time and resource, and engagement activities need to be fully thought through, targeted and costed. We worked with University of Exeter academics to create strategic development plans for diverse research areas, from the history of mental illness to the social history of Rome, from using sports science research to train surgeons to the political legacy of women writers in 1920s Spain.

Our approach

Worked closely with lead researchers to co-develop ambitious yet achievable action plans designed to increase research impact.
Guided researchers through full stakeholder analyses to map the most promising pathways to impact.
Interacted with external partners capable of supporting the delivery of engagement activities, fully costed the resource required and identified sources of funding.
Ensured effective impact evaluation was built into planning.

Our impact

A set of highly focused engagement and impact plans that could be adapted by researchers as their studies and collaborations evolved.
Provided the University with a clear understanding of the resources required to fully support long-term engagement and ensure sustained impact.
REF 2021 impact case studies that included outcomes from the implementation of these plans.

"Chris's interactions with our academics were always engaging and respectful, asking key questions about their research activities while appreciating the challenges that come with generating impact while balancing other academic responsibilities. Chris thoroughly explored all avenues available to them, considering the work each impact pathway would involve, the risks involved, and gauging the reach and significance of each resulting impact."

Sian Moody, Former Impact and Research Manager,
University of Exeter

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Increasing impact across a university

Increasing impact across a university

An integrated, long-term approach to developing research impact helped University of Hertfordshire achieve the sector's largest performance improvement in REF 2021, leading to significant new funding.

Supporting academics to inform policy

Supporting academics to inform policy

We demonstrated what can be achieved when academic researchers are given the time, head space and one-to-one strategic and practical support to engage the policy community in their research.