DOCSLIB.ORG

Landscape Review of Interdisciplinary Research in the UK

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Landscape Review of Interdisciplinary Research in the UK Landscape Review of Interdisciplinary Research in the UK Report to HEFCE and RCUK by Technopolis and the Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU), University of Sussex September 2016 www.technopolis-group.com Landscape Review of Interdisciplinary Research in the UK Report to HEFCE and RCUK by Technopolis and the Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU), University of Sussex July, 2016 Anoushka Davé (Technopolis) Michael Hopkins (SPRU) Joshua Hutton (SPRU) Adam Krčál (Technopolis) Peter Kolarz (Technopolis) Ben Martin (SPRU) Kalle Nielsen (Technopolis) Ismael Rafols (SPRU) Daniele Rotolo (SPRU) Paul Simmonds (Technopolis) Andrew Stirling (SPRU) Acknowledgements: The authors would like to thank Thomson Reuters for supplying Web of Science data on UK academic authors for the Researchers’ survey. Additionally we would like to thank all the interviewees, workshop attendees, survey respondents, and University of Sussex staff who contributed to the piloting of the surveys for their time and thoughtful responses to our questions. We are also very grateful to the advisory group, Dr Sumi David, Professor Roger Kain, Professor Tom McLeish, Dr Ian Viney, and Professor Shearer West, as well as Dr Steven Hill and Charlotte Lester from HEFCE for their advice and support throughout the study. Table of Contents List of abbreviations .............................................................................................................. 6 Executive summary ............................................................................................................... 7 1 Introduction and Literature Review .................................................................................12 1.1 Defining IDR ............................................................................................................13 1.2 Studying IDR ...........................................................................................................14 1.4 Literature on barriers to and incentives for IDR ........................................................15 2 Approach .......................................................................................................................19 2.1 Workshops ..............................................................................................................19 2.2 Interviews ................................................................................................................19 2.3 Surveys ...................................................................................................................19 2.4 Synthesis of findings ................................................................................................20 3 Findings and Analysis ....................................................................................................21 3.1 Context for IDR in the UK ........................................................................................21 3.2 Incentives for IDR ....................................................................................................23 3.3 Barriers against IDR ................................................................................................25 3.4 Facilitators of IDR ....................................................................................................31 4 Conclusions and Policy Considerations .........................................................................34 4.1 Limitations of the study ............................................................................................34 4.2 Lowering the barriers to IDR ....................................................................................34 4.3 Policy considerations for funders .............................................................................35 4.4 Policy considerations for academia..........................................................................36 4.5 Policy considerations for strategic leaders at HEIs ..................................................37 4.6 Conclusion...............................................................................................................37 5 References ....................................................................................................................39 Appendix A Interdisciplinary Research Stakeholder Workshops Report ...............................43 Appendix B Summary of SIStakeholder Interviews ...............................................................62 Appendix C Survey Report ...................................................................................................76 Appendix D Interview Template .......................................................................................... 140 Appendix E Survey Questionnaires .................................................................................... 146 3 Figures Figure 1 Perceptions of incentives for IDR based on responses from researchers, strategic leaders in HEIs, and funders ................................................................................................24 Figure 2 Barriers to IDR as perceived by researchers, strategic leaders in HEIs, and funders .............................................................................................................................................27 Figure 3 Researchers by region (NUTS-1) ...........................................................................84 Figure 4 Responses by job title (a) and ECRs (b) .................................................................85 Figure 5 Responses by HESA contract levels ......................................................................86 Figure 6 Responses by gender .............................................................................................87 Figure 7 Responses by research macro areas .....................................................................88 Figure 8 Importance of IDR (a), involvement with IDR (b), and planning to undertake IDR (c) .............................................................................................................................................90 Figure 9 Involvement with and importance of IDR across research macro areas ..................91 Figure 10 Perceived barriers to IDR by research area ..........................................................92 Figure 10 IDR and careers by research area ........................................................................94 Figure 12 Likelihood of IDR being funded .............................................................................95 Figure 13 Reasons why IDR is perceived as less likely to be funded....................................96 Figure 14 IDR perceived as more likely to be funded ...........................................................98 Figure 15 IDR and collaboration ...........................................................................................99 Figure 16 IDR and research outcomes ............................................................................... 101 Figure 17 Distribution of HEIs by nation in the sample compared with HESA data ............. 106 Figure 18 Response rate by participating HEIs ................................................................... 107 Figure 19 Management roles of respondents ..................................................................... 108 Figure 20 Respondents by gender ..................................................................................... 109 Figure 21 Importance of IDR from (a) the respondent’s own perspective and (b) their perception of whether IDR is a priority for their HEI ............................................................ 110 Figure 22 Factors that motivate prioritisation of IDR in HEIs ............................................... 111 Figure 23 Support of IDR (a) and mechanisms implemented to support IDR in HEIs (b) .... 113 Figure 24 Perceived barriers to IDR by research area ........................................................ 114 Figure 25 IDR and career ................................................................................................... 115 Figure 26 Likelihood of IDR being funded ........................................................................... 116 Figure 27 IDR perceived as less likely to be funded ........................................................... 117 Figure 28 IDR perceived as more likely to be funded ......................................................... 118 Figure 29 IDR and collaboration ......................................................................................... 120 4 Figure 30 IDR and research outcomes ............................................................................... 122 Figure 31 Proportion of respondents by funder research budget ........................................ 124 Figure 32 Job titles of the respondents in the sample (a) and distribution of job titles by type of funder (b) ........................................................................................................................ 125 Figure 33 Respondents by gender (a) and by type of funder (b) ......................................... 126 Figure 34 Importance of IDR from (a) the respondent’s own perspective and (b) their perception of whether IDR is a priority for their organisation ............................................... 127 Figure 35 Support for IDR is perceived as more developed in major funders than in minor funders ..............................................................................................................................
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Fourth Report of Senior Pay and Perks in UK Universities History This
    Transparency at the top? The fourth report of senior pay and perks in UK universities History This is the fourth report on pay and perks at the top of British higher education institutions (HEIs) to be published by the University and College Union (UCU). It forms part of the union’s ongoing campaign for greater transparency in higher education, including the rationale behind senior pay rises. UCU submitted a Freedom of Information (FoI) request to 158 HEIs in October 2017. This followed similar requests submitted in 2016, 2015 and 2014. All requests were designed to shine a light on the arbitrary nature of senior pay and perks in universities, and support the union’s call for reform. The basis for this report The FoI request that forms the basis of this report was sent to 158 (HEIs). It requested details of vice-chancellors’ (or head of institution if known by a different title) salaries and those of other senior post-holders earning over £100,000 at the institution during the academic year of 2016/17 (1 August 2016 to 31 July 2017). It also asked for details of flights, spending on hotels, spending on expenses and if the vice-chancellor was provided with accommodation by the university. Finally, we requested to know whether or not the vice-chancellor was a member of the remuneration committee, and requested a copy of the most recently ratified minutes of the institution’s remuneration committee. Variety of responses The questions on expenditure on flights, hotels, expenses and accommodation for vice-chancellors elicited a huge variation in responses with many institutions deploying exemptions under the Freedom of Information Act to avoid providing data.
    [Show full text]
  • FOI REQUEST From
    FOI REQUEST From: James Murphy <[email protected]> Date: Tue, 10 Sep 2019 at 17:05 Subject: Freedom of Information request - Copies of periodic communications between the Vice-Chancellor and staff To: FOI requests at University of Sheffield <[email protected]> Dear University of Sheffield, I am writing to request copies of periodic communications between the Vice-Chancellor of your institution and all staff working at the University. These circulars might be sent by email and/or placed on the university intranet and may be described as Vice Chancellor’s Updates or something similar. Could you please provide all such communications for the last 5 years or as long as you have recorded if this is shorter? Best wishes, James Murphy University of Sheffield response: Please find below communications from our President and Vice-Chancellor to all staff between 27 June 2014 and 5 September 2019. These were sent to staff via email and are also published on our staff web pages. Note: The below communications include those from our current President and Vice- Chancellor, Professor Koen Lamberts as well as from our previous President and Vice- Chancellor, Professor Sir Keith Burnett. 5 September 2019 Our vision for Sheffield - your invitation to join the conversation Dear colleague Earlier this summer, I emailed you about my intention to hold a University-wide dialogue about our future direction. I’m pleased to invite you to a series of town-hall style sessions where we can discuss the direction we want to take. Conversations at these sessions will be centred around a Vision Green Paper, which I have developed following my meetings with all University departments, with support from colleagues on the University Executive Board (UEB) and their teams.
    [Show full text]
  • British Vet School Accreditation Report Cover.Indd
    CONTENTS 0 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................1 1 ORGANIZATION ....................................................................................................7 2 FINANCES .........................................................................................................15 3 FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT..................................................................................25 4 ANIMAL RESOURCES ............................................................................................39 5 INFORMATION RESOURCES ....................................................................................53 6 STUDENTS.........................................................................................................57 7 ADMISSION AND PROGRESSION..............................................................................65 8 ACADEMIC AND SUPPORT STAFF .............................................................................73 9 CURRICULUM .....................................................................................................85 10 ASSESSMENT ...................................................................................................105 11 RESEARCH PROGRAMMES, CONTINUING AND HIGHER DEGREE EDUCATION ......................115 12 OUTCOMES ASSESSMENT.....................................................................................127 13 ESEVT INDICATORS..........................................................................................155
    [Show full text]
  • Hps.Cam.Ac.Uk
    CONTENTS The Department .......................................................................................................................................... 2 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 2 Congratulations .............................................................................................................................. 4 Garden Party in Memory of Mary Hesse ................................................................................... 5 Staff and Visitors ........................................................................................................................... 7 Students .......................................................................................................................................... 9 Comings and Goings .................................................................................................................. 12 Roles and Responsibilities .......................................................................................................... 13 Prizes, Projects and Honours .................................................................................................... 15 Student Prizes .............................................................................................................................. 16 Students .....................................................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Darwin Skeptics a Select List of Science Academics, Scientists, and Scholars Who Are Skeptical of Darwinism
    7/23/2016 Darwin Skeptics A Select List of Science Academics, Scientists, and Scholars Who are Skeptical of Darwinism Compiled by Jerry Bergman PhD. It is commonly claimed that no scientist rejects macroevolution or Darwinism (by which is meant evolutionary naturalism, or the view that variation caused by mutations plus natural selection accounts for all life forms). For example, Dr. Steve Jones, Professor of Genetics at University College of London, wrote that “no scientist denies the central truth of The Origin, the idea of descent with modification... plants, animals and everything else descended from a common ancestor” (Jones, 2000, pp. xvii, xxiii). Other writers avoid the words “all” or “no scientist” and claim instead that “almost no scientist” rejects Darwinism as defined above. In an article refuting “wiccan creationism,” the author claimed that evolutionary theory has been confirmed to such a high degree and has such great explanatory power that it is the central organizing principle of the biological sciences today. Modern biology is basically unthinkable outside of the context of evolution and that is why it is accepted without reservations by pretty much every working scientists [sic] in the life sciences. It also isn’t really questioned in the other natural sciences, either, like physics or chemistry. The author then makes the following absolutist statement: Evolution is taken as a fact—and while there might be disagreements about some of the details of how evolution proceeds, there are no disagreements about the idea that it does occur and that it is the explanation for the diversity of life on our planet.
    [Show full text]
  • 20Th Anniversary 1994-2014 EPSRC 20Th Anniversary CONTENTS 1994-2014
    EPSRC 20th Anniversary 1994-2014 EPSRC 20th anniversary CONTENTS 1994-2014 4-9 1994: EPSRC comes into being; 60-69 2005: Green chemistry steps up Peter Denyer starts a camera phone a gear; new facial recognition software revolution; Stephen Salter trailblazes becomes a Crimewatch favourite; modern wave energy research researchers begin mapping the underworld 10-13 1995: From microwave ovens to 70-73 2006: The Silent Aircraft Initiative biomedical engineering, Professor Lionel heralds a greener era in air travel; bacteria Tarassenko’s remarkable career; Professor munch metal, get recycled, emit hydrogen Peter Bruce – batteries for tomorrow 14 74-81 2007: A pioneering approach to 14-19 1996: Professor Alf Adams, prepare against earthquakes and tsunamis; godfather of the internet; Professor Dame beetles inspire high technologies; spin out Wendy Hall – web science pioneer company sells for US$500 million 20-23 1997: The crucial science behind 82-87 2008: Four scientists tackle the world’s first supersonic car; Professor synthetic cells; the 1,000 mph supercar; Malcolm Greaves – oil magnate strategic healthcare partnerships; supercomputer facility is launched 24-27 1998: Professor Kevin Shakesheff – regeneration man; Professor Ed Hinds – 88-95 2009: Massive investments in 20 order from quantum chaos doctoral training; the 175 mph racing car you can eat; rescuing heritage buildings; 28-31 1999: Professor Sir Mike Brady – medical imaging innovator; Unlocking the the battery-free soldier Basic Technologies programme 96-101 2010: Unlocking the
    [Show full text]
  • Postmaster & the Merton Record
    Postmaster & The Merton Record 2020 Merton College Oxford OX1 4JD Telephone +44 (0)1865 276310 Contents www.merton.ox.ac.uk College News From the Warden ..................................................................................4 Edited by Emily Bruce, Philippa Logan, Milos Martinov, JCR News .................................................................................................8 Professor Irene Tracey (1985) MCR News .............................................................................................10 Front cover image Merton Sport .........................................................................................12 Wick Willett and Emma Ball (both 2017) in Fellows' Women’s Rowing, Men’s Rowing, Football, Squash, Hockey, Rugby, Garden, Michaelmas 2019. Photograph by John Cairns. Sports Overview, Blues & Haigh Ties Additional images (unless credited) Clubs & Societies ................................................................................24 4: © Ian Wallman History Society, Roger Bacon Society, Neave Society, Christian 13: Maria Salaru (St Antony’s, 2011) Union, Bodley Club, Mathematics Society, Quiz Society, Art Society, 22: Elina Cotterill Music Society, Poetry Society, Halsbury Society, 1980 Society, 24, 60, 128, 236: © John Cairns Tinbergen Society, Chalcenterics 40: Jessica Voicu (St Anne's, 2015) 44: © William Campbell-Gibson Interdisciplinary Groups ...................................................................40 58, 117, 118, 120, 130: Huw James Ockham Lectures, History of the Book
    [Show full text]
  • The Fifth Report of Senior Pay and Perks at UK Universities
    Transparency at the top? The fifth report of senior pay and perks in UK universities History This is the fifth report on pay and perks at the top of British higher education institutions (HEIs) to be published by the University and College Union (UCU). It forms part of the union’s ongoing campaign for greater transparency in higher education, including the rationale behind senior pay rises. UCU submitted a Freedom of Information (FoI) request to 158 HEIs in November 2018. This followed similar requests submitted in 2017, 2016, 2015 and 2014. All requests were designed to shine a light on the arbitrary nature of senior pay and perks in universities, and support the union’s call for reform. The basis for this report The FoI request that forms the basis of this report was sent to 158 HEIs. It requested details of vice-chancellors’ (or head of institution if known by a different title) salaries and those of other senior post-holders earning over £100,000 at the institution during the academic year of 2017/18 (1 August 2017 to 31 July 2018). It also asked for details spending on flights and hotels, and if the vice- chancellor was provided with accommodation by the university. Finally, we requested to know whether or not the vice-chancellor was a member of the remuneration committee, if they could attend even if not a member and requested a copy of the most recently ratified minutes of the institution’s remuneration committee. Variety of responses The questions on salary, expenditure on flights, hotels and accommodation for vice-chancellors elicited a huge variation in responses with many institutions deploying exemptions under the Freedom of Information Act to avoid providing data.
    [Show full text]
  • Leading Interdisciplinary Research: Transforming the Academic Landscape
    October 2014 ISBN: 978-1-906627-73-7 Leading interdisciplinary research: transforming the academic landscape Stimulus paper Professor Tom McLeish Pro Vice-Chancellor Research Durham University Professor Veronica Strang Executive Director, Institute of Advanced Study Durham University Stimulus Paper Series The Leadership Foundation is pleased to present this latest series of ‘Stimulus Papers’ which are intended to inform thinking, choices and decisions at institutional and system levels in UK higher education. The themes addressed fall into different clusters including higher education leadership, business models for higher education, leading the student experience and leadership and equality of opportunity in higher education. We hope these papers will stimulate discussion and debate, as well as giving an insight into some of the new and emerging issues relevant to higher education today. First published October 2014 Leadership Foundation for Higher Education Published by the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education Registered and operational address: Leadership Foundation for Higher Education Peer House 8-14 Verulam Street London WC1X 8LZ Tel: +44 (0) 20 3468 4810 Fax: +44 (0) 20 3468 4811 E-mail: [email protected] www.lfhe.ac.uk © Leadership Foundation for Higher Education All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the copywrite
    [Show full text]
  • Curriculum Vitae
    SIR COLIN BLAKEMORE FMedSci, FRCP (Hon), FRSB (Hon), FRSM (Hon), FBPhS (Hon), FBAASc (Hon), MAE, FRS Department of Neuroscience and Hong Kong Institute for Advanced Study, City University of Hong Kong Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong T: +852 3442 2747 M: +852 6731 9107 M: +86 198 9657 9107 (China) E: [email protected] School of Advanced Study, University of London Senate House, Malet Street, London WC1E 7HU, UK M: +44 7802 291059 E: [email protected] W: www.thesenses.ac.uk Department of Physiology, Anatomy & Genetics, University of Oxford Sherrington Building, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PT, UK E: [email protected] W: www.neuroscience.ox.ac.uk/directory/colin-blakemore Born: 1 June, 1944; Stratford-upon-Avon, UK Nationality: British Married to: Andrée Elizabeth Washbourne 3 daughters: Sarah-Jayne, Sophie, Jessica CURRENT APPOINTMENTS 2019- Yeung Kin Man Chair Professor of Neuroscience, City University of Hong Kong 2017- Senior Fellow, Hong Kong Institute for Advanced Study, City University of Hong Kong 2019- Distinguished Guest Professor, Chinese Academy of Sciences Institute of Neuroscience, and International Center for Primate Brain Research, Shanghai 2019- Distinguished Senior Fellow, Institute of Philosophy, School of Advanced Study, University of London 2012- Emeritus Professor of Neuroscience, University of Oxford 2012- Emeritus fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford 2010- Honorary Professor, Medical School, University of Warwick 2008- Adjunct Professor, Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, Singapore EDUCATION 1955-62 King Henry VIII Grammar School, Coventry, UK 1962 State Scholarship and Colonel Sir William Wyley Scholarship to Corpus Christi College, Cambridge 1963 Bacon Exhibition and Bacon Prize, Corpus Christi College 1964 Smyth Scholarship and College Prize, Corpus Christi College 1962-5 Medical Sciences 1965 BA Class I 1965 University Scholarship, St Thomas's Hospital, London (not taken up) 1965-8 Postgraduate student in Physiological Optics, Neurosensory Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley.
    [Show full text]
  • Financial Statements 2019
    Financial Statements 2019 Financial Year ending 31 July 2019 1 August 2018 to 31 July 2019 Chair of Council and Pro-Chancellor: John Mills Vice-Chair of Council: Dame Elizabeth Fradd (until 31 December 2018) Nora Senior (from 1 January 2019) Members ex-Officio Pro-Chancellor: Dr Hamid Mughal OBE President and Vice-Chancellor: Professor Shearer West Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Professor Andy Long Treasurer: Stephen Walton Pro-Vice-Chancellors: Professor Sarah O’Hara Professor Dame Jessica Corner Members of Staff Professor Tony Avery Dr Gabriele Neher Dr Rachel Gomes Professor Clive Roberts Professor Kevin Lee External members appointed by the Council Simon Amess Trevor Moss Vicky Bailey (from 1 January 2019) Sir Keith O’Nions (from 28 November 2018) Lynette Eastman Nora Senior (to 31 December 2018) Sonya Leydecker (from 1 January 2019) David Tilly Sherry Madera (from 1 January 2019) Neil Watkinson Carolyn Morgan Appointed by the Union of Students Catherine O’Boyle (Education Officer) (from 1 August 2018 to 30 June 2019) Jess Lendon (President) (from 1 August 2018 to 10 December 2018) Zoe Mackenzie (Welfare Officer) (from 17 December 2018 to 30 June 2019) James Pheasey (President) (from 1 July 2019 to 31 July 2019) Cassie Ulrich (Education Officer) (from 1 July 2019 to 31 July 2019) Other Senior Officers of the University Other Senior Officers The Chancellor: Vacant The Registrar: Dr Paul Greatrix (Secretary to Council) Pro-Vice-Chancellors: Professor Graham Kendall Professor Nick Miles OBE Professor Chris Rudd OBE (until 31 January 2019) Professor Sarah Sharples (from 1 September 2018) Professor Robert Mokaya (from 1 March 2019) Faculty Pro-Vice-Chancellors: Professor John Atherton Professor Jeremy Gregory Professor Todd Landman Professor Sam Kingman Professor Kevin Shakesheff Chief Financial Officer: Margaret Monckton Chief Marketing and Communications Officer: Kerry Law (until 7 December 2018) 1 Chief Digital Officer David Hill Director of Human Resources: Jaspal Kaur 1 Role no longer sits on the University Executive Board.
    [Show full text]
  • Membership of RAE2008 Panels
    Membership of RAE2008 panels November 2007 Ref RAE 03/2007 Membership of RAE2008 panels To Heads of HEFCE-funded higher education institutions Heads of HEFCW-funded higher education institutions Heads of SFC-funded higher education institutions Heads of universities in Northern Ireland Of interest to those Research assessment, Research policy, responsible for Planning Reference RAE 03/2007 Publication date November 2007 Enquiries to Raegan Hiles or Davina Madden tel 0117 931 7267 e-mail [email protected] Executive summary Purpose 1. This document lists the membership of the main and sub-panels for the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE2008). The panels will assess the quality of research in submissions to RAE2008. Key points 2. For the purpose of RAE2008, each academic discipline is assigned to one of 67 units of assessment (UOAs). There is a two-tier panel system: 67 sub-panels of experts, one for each UOA, work under the guidance of 15 main panels. Under each main panel are broadly cognate disciplines whose subjects have similar approaches to research. 3. Panel members are experts drawn from higher education institutions (HEIs) and the wider research community, and are nominated by subject associations and other stakeholder organisations. Each main panel and sub-panel has stipulated criteria and working methods that they will adhere to in making assessments: these were published in January 2006 as RAE 01/2006: RAE2008: Panel criteria and working methods. 4. This list of panel membership is correct at the time of going to print. Should any member retire from the panel or be replaced during 2008, we will update the electronic list available at www.rae.ac.uk under ‘Panels’.
    [Show full text]