Roger Eccleston, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research and Global Engagement, provides an update on the Research Operating Model programme of work.

Across the University incredible research is being done that delivers social, cultural and economic impact.   The recent draft REF submission has demonstrated growth in the proportion of staff producing good quality research outputs and revealed and that we have some excellent examples of impactful research that will provide great REF impact case studies.

We have also seen some significant funding successes and our research income has increased this year. Our research is developing well, but if we are to bring our research and knowledge exchange activity up to a position which is consistent with being the leading applied university, we still have some way to go in building research capacity and capability.

This is the context in which the proposal to create four, cross-university, inter-disciplinary research institutes (RIs) has been developed.

The objective of the proposed research institutes are

• to provide a clear operating model to support the delivery of a ‘one university’ research strategy (the Creating Knowledge Implementation Plan)
• to provide leadership and direction of established and emerging areas of excellence to build capacity, grow research income and enhance external reputation and support the development of a strong academic culture throughout the University in which learning, teaching, research and Knowledge Exchange are equally valued and where the symbiosis between them is strong

The research institutes will link to research centres and departments in faculties, working closely with faculties, to support the development of academic research careers from early-career researchers through to professors.

Following two periods of consultation we are now starting the detailed work to develop the operating model. It is important that this work is undertaken thoroughly and with attention to detail.  I am confident that, when it is done, we will be able to put a research infrastructure in place that will facilitate the continued improvement in our research performance.