Abstract:

Researchers familiar with the requirements of funding bodies and the Research Excellence Framework (or similar national strategies to measure the strength of research) will be familiar with the need to address impact and stakeholder engagement. All research should have an impact, at some level, and it is useful to know what this might be, where it can be found, and integrate impact plans in the main body of work, as far as possible. It is recognised that impact occur over many years, and perhaps not be altogether predictable. Despite changes in thinking about ‘impact’, many research heads still equate impact as a publication in a Q1 journal.

This paper is firstly addresses they ‘whys and wherefores’ of impact – what it is, can be, how, when, where and who should measure it – based on the author’s leadership of 3 EU funded projects, experience of 3 REF cycles and delivery of capacity building courses to senior researchers in Pakistan. Secondly, a critical review of approaches put forward by these researchers in class-based activities, to address pathways to impact is discussed. In the final section, a set of recommendations is put forward to help new researchers.

Keywords:

Educational ergonomics, training, Pakistan, research.