Research Workshop

1
Research Workshop

• Research Funding
• Dave Bustard
• 12 September 2001

2
Agenda

• Stepping back from the problem
• The way forward

...
3
Systems Approach

• A broad, holistic approach to problem-solving,
  taking all relevant factors into account, and
  recognising the inter-dependencies that exist
• Soft Systems Methodology (Checkland)
• Organisational Learning (Senge)
• Systems Thinking

4
Change Model
Target System
Current System
5
Funding Goal?

• Bring in as much money as possible
• individually, as an RAE group, and as a Faculty

• OK?

6
Revised Funding Goal?

• Undertake research of international standing
• measured against RAE metrics
• operating efficiently and effectively,
• in balance with other activities
• obtaining and using funding as required

• OK?

7
Balancing the System
Research
Teaching
Other Professional Activity
Private Life
8
Research Achievement Factors

• Ability of staff students (personal
  development recruitment)
• Motivation of staff
• Time available to do research
• Efficiency of approach (co-ordination
  monitoring avoiding waste)
• Effectiveness of approach (being clever!)
• Reputation (publicity networking)

• Role of funding?

9
Sources of Funding

• Externally funded projects/activities/infrastructu
  re
• Research strategy budget (block grant project
  overheads, etc.)
• Faculty/School funds
• Research Office
• Short courses?

10
Current Position

• Reasonable income overall, but little from EPSRC
  and other research councils
• Funding largely driven by a few individuals
• Very little review of proposals, projects and
  outcomes (quality issue)
• No overall tracking of applications (largely
  covert activity)

• OK?

11
Vision

• Most research funding needed by staff and
  students obtained from external sources
• All staff, groups and centres developing annual
  plans, identifying funding needs and targets
• Research applications largely group based
• Everyone aware of funding opportunities
• Funds requested and managed to good effect
• All papers (and other outputs) tied to projects

• OK?

12
Issues

• How should RAE income be used?
• How should research overheads be used?
• What is (should be) the relationship between
  research centres, RRGs and groups?
• How should funding be managed (for proposals and
  during projects)?

• Others?

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Way Forward

• Appoint a Research Director (RD)
• Consolidate research groups and centres
• Develop clear funding plans for groups and
  centres
• Develop policies and processes, e.g., all
  research proposals approved by RD all proposals
  reviewed before submission

• OK?

14
EPSRC Funding

• Proposal
• Pursue all possible fast stream proposals with
  senior support
• Prepare a relatively small number of proposals
  annually, determined at Faculty level (number?)

15
Anything Else?