How do investments in R&I (e.g. infrastructure, partnerships) contribute to reputation and influence?
Background
IRIA aims to build an evidence base useful for monitoring the effectiveness of UK international research collaboration, determining the value-for-money of international R&I interventions and comparing the UK with other countries. We support a wide range of programmes as well as building an evidence base that can be used for new interventions. This includes government plans to protect and support UK science, research, technology and innovation (SRTI) sectors, should association to Horizon Europe on fair and appropriate terms not be possible.
We are interested in assessing the value delivered from infrastructure which supports research and innovation, such as laboratories or institution headquarters. An example of this is the project to relocate the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) to the University of Readings’ campus.
Science diplomacy is a strategic goal of UK research and innovation collaboration. Analysing the impact of R&I on the UK’s overseas reputation and influence on other actors requires operationalised definitions, metrics which can be tracked over time and evaluative methods that allow interventions to be compared. Where data exists to track outcomes contributing to reputation and influence, such metrics should be adopted. However, there may be a need for new or additional data collection. For example, to address the following questions:
Next steps
If you are keen to register your interest in working and connecting with DSIT Science, Innovation, and Research Directorate, and/or submitting evidence, then please complete the DSIT-ARI Evidence survey - https://dsit.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cDfmK2OukVAnirs
Link to ARI Document : https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/department-for-science-innovation-and-technology-areas-of-research-interest/dsit-areas-of-research-interest-2024
Topics
Related UKRI funded projects
-
Big Science Beyond Science: the Innovation Impact of Research Infrastructure Procurement
Context Scientific research now requires higher R&D efforts and larger teams with access to sophisticated, costly equipment, often too expensive for individual institutions or countries. For this reason, Large Resear...
Funded by: ESRC
Lead research organisation: London School of Economics and Political Science
Why might this be relevant?
Partially relevant as it focuses on wider economic benefits of research infrastructure procurement, not specifically on reputation and influence.
-
Global - The Bristol Global Engagement Network
The University of Bristol is an international powerhouse of learning, discovery and enterprise. Its vision is of a university whose excellence is acknowledged locally, nationally and globally. International collaboration...
Funded by: EPSRC
Lead research organisation: University of Bristol
Why might this be relevant?
Partially relevant as it focuses on international research collaborations and impact, but does not specifically address investments in R&I infrastructure.
-
Serendipity in Science, Technology and Innovation
I present the Serendipity proposal, with SPRU (Sussex, UK) and Columbia (NYC, USA), to conduct a body of frontier work on the role, management and impact of serendipity on research performance. The project addresses majo...
Funded by: ESRC
Lead research organisation: University of Sussex
Why might this be relevant?
Partially relevant as it discusses the impact of serendipity on research performance, but does not directly address investments in R&I infrastructure.