Changes
1. What are the changes being made?
Changes are being made to the grant application forms, to enable applicants to demonstrate how they will achieve impact. These are:
- A new ‘Impact Summary’ section where applicants will need to address the following three questions: who (outside the academic community e.g. public, schools, industry, government etc.) will benefit from this research, how they will benefit from this research, and what will be done to ensure they have the opportunity to benefit from this work.
- Re-naming the ‘Beneficiaries’ section to ‘Academic Beneficiaries’ section where applicants will need to address the following questions: how the research will benefit other researchers in the field, and identify whether there are any academic beneficiaries in other disciplines and, if so, how they will benefit and what will be done to ensure that they benefit.
- Replacing the Knowledge Exchange Plan and Outreach Plan with a single attachment called the ‘Impact Plan’ (2 sides). The Impact Plan should address communications and engagement, collaboration, exploitation and application, capability and resources.
The changes are only being applied to the standard and rolling grants. Fellowship proposals will not require impact information but will still require an outreach plan.
Go to detailed guidance on How to Complete the Impact Plan.
2. Why are the changes being made?
The excellent research funded by the UK Research Councils has a huge impact on the wellbeing and economy of the UK. Working together with our wider communities and other partners, we want to ensure that these impacts are effectively demonstrated and supported throughout the research lifecycle and beyond. This will add value, stimulate interest from wider stakeholders - including the general public - and, where needed, actively highlight the need for continued investment in the research base.
The onus rests with applicants to demonstrate how they will achieve this excellence with impact, bearing in mind that impacts can take many forms and be promoted in different ways. The changes clarify the position of the STFC with respect to impact, rather than introducing a new approach.
3. What is the timetable for introducing the new forms/new peer review process across Councils?
The Research Councils have worked together to ensure harmonisation where possible in introducing the new forms. The new processes are being introduced in each Council at the following times:
- January 2009 - BBSRC
- February 2009 - AHRC, ESRC
- April 2009 - EPSRC, NERC, STFC
The MRC will introduce the changes when their grant application process goes live on the Je-S system.
Applications stage
1. What do you mean by impact?
STFC like the other Research Councils, define impact as the demonstrable contribution that excellent research makes to society and the economy. Impact embraces all the extremely diverse ways in which research-related knowledge and skills benefit individuals, organisations and nations by:
- fostering global economic performance, and specifically the economic competitiveness of the United Kingdom,
- increasing the effectiveness of public services and policy, and
- enhancing quality of life, health and creative output.
Impacts from research can take many forms, become manifest at different stages in the research life-cycle and beyond, and be promoted in many different ways. View some of our impact case studies.
2. How does the impact plan differ from the knowledge exchange and outreach plans?
STFC had previously asked applicants to think about and provide implementation plans for knowledge exchange and outreach. The impact plan clarifies the expectations of STFC in both these areas and allows all the research councils to take a harmonised approach to this issue.
3. What guidance will be provided for applicants?
Along with these FAQs, STFC specific guidance is available in the funding handbook and grants guidelines. In addition, personnel within the STFC’s Science in Society Unit (SIS) and Knowledge Exchange Directorate (KED) may be contacted for advice.
4. I can’t identify the impact – does that matter? A project might well deliver it later on, but we can't tell now what it will be?
The Impact Plan is your opportunity to describe how the potential impacts of your research will be realised. Such a plan is intended to encourage thought on these matters and initiate the exploration of possible routes of engagement, rather than demanding firm proposals at this stage. You need to provide evidence that you have explored the potential for impact and how the potential impact could be realised. For example, you should have explored potential activities considered to be ‘knowledge exchange’ with your Technology Transfer Office or equivalent.
5. What will happen if I don’t submit an impact plan?
Your Je-S form will be considered incomplete and rejected if you do not submit information in the impact section.
6. Over what time period do you expect my research to have an impact?
The impacts of research may be realised at different times in the research life-cycle. You may like to consider short, medium and long term impacts in your impact plan.
7. My impacts may be achieved through teaching undergraduates and researchers and by telling other scientists about my work and making data available to them so that they can use it in their models – is this impact relevant?
This form of knowledge exchange or outreach is considered to be a core activity of a university or institute and therefore is not considered to be impact in this context.
8. My impacts may be achieved working with other scientific disciplines is this impact relevant?
Yes, often the results need to be showed to have transferred into another discipline en-route to longer term impact.
Assessment
1. Who is going to be assessing the impact plan and summary?
The impact plans will be assessed first by the KED and SIS teams who will provide guidance for the assessment by the peer review panels. Peer review panels have already had experience in assessing the previously asked for knowledge exchange and outreach plans. Further guidance and training will be given to the panels to ensure they are able to judge the impact plans.
2. What 'weighting' will the impact part of an application be given by a peer review panel?
The principal criteria for funding decisions will remain the scientific quality of the proposed research. The introduction of the impact requirements will not change the existing criteria as outlined in the Research Grants Handbook.
General
1. Will the impact information be used for any other purposes?
STFC is interested in following up the impact of the research it funds and is required to report these impacts to stakeholders such as DIUS. This information may be reported in the form of outputs or by developing more detailed case studies of impact. STFC is planning to develop further evaluation mechanisms to show evidence of the longer term benefits of the research it funds.
2. How will the STFC support impact activities in or arising from the proposed project?
The impact information will be used by the KED and SIS teams to identify ways in which STFC can provide further support. The STFC KED and SIS teams run a range of funding programmes that can be accessed to develop impact arising from the project.
3. The impacts may change once the research is underway, how will you recognise that?
Impact may become manifest at different stages of the research life cycle. Applicants are welcome to apply to the relevant impact funding schemes at the most appropriate point during their research. During the course of the research, HEI managers will visit the institutions to provide information on economic impact schemes funded by the STFC Knowledge Exchange Directorate and other bodies and to provide an opportunity for face to face discussion with those interested in developing impact plans.
4. My work has international impacts – should I mention these?
Many impacts are international in nature; there is no specific requirement for impacts to be UK only. However, should you wish to apply for funding from the additional schemes run by the KED or Science in Society, any programme you propose will need to benefit UK citizens.
Page last updated: 21 April 2009
by Jenny Hall
