Activity Five: Responding to opportunities by Kate Tapper https://padlet.com/katebuddevelopment/e4ood8s2st0lwr55 Leading Strategic Research and Innovation, March 2022 en-us 2022-03-25 10:58:38 UTC 2025-04-24 07:10:03 UTC hello@padlet.com Here's a reminder of your discussion question. katebuddevelopment https://padlet.com/katebuddevelopment/e4ood8s2st0lwr55/wish/2113587925 Please add your thoughts anywhere on this page, using the pink icon.]]> 2022-03-25 10:59:32 UTC https://padlet.com/katebuddevelopment/e4ood8s2st0lwr55/wish/2113587925 katebuddevelopment https://padlet.com/katebuddevelopment/e4ood8s2st0lwr55/wish/2121115134 2022-03-30 09:16:17 UTC https://padlet.com/katebuddevelopment/e4ood8s2st0lwr55/wish/2121115134 https://padlet.com/katebuddevelopment/e4ood8s2st0lwr55/wish/2121136396 Could WIN strengthen our involvement in EU funded projects? To put us in a a unique position by involving researchers/facilities from multiple Welsh institutions.]]> 2022-03-30 09:32:31 UTC https://padlet.com/katebuddevelopment/e4ood8s2st0lwr55/wish/2121136396 https://padlet.com/katebuddevelopment/e4ood8s2st0lwr55/wish/2121139146 REF seems to go against the idea of Welsh Unis working together more- REF promotes and rewards independent leadership of projects, so this discourages researchers from collaborating on projects that will not be 'REF returnable'.]]> 2022-03-30 09:34:44 UTC https://padlet.com/katebuddevelopment/e4ood8s2st0lwr55/wish/2121139146 WHY? Structured collaboration allows us to be bigger than the sum of the parts https://padlet.com/katebuddevelopment/e4ood8s2st0lwr55/wish/2121139471 - Building capacity
- Shared concerns (specific to Wales?) with disctinct perspecitves - FGA
- unique contributions- cultural bilingualism- devolved politics

]]> 2022-03-30 09:34:59 UTC https://padlet.com/katebuddevelopment/e4ood8s2st0lwr55/wish/2121139471 Cross-Wales Network https://padlet.com/katebuddevelopment/e4ood8s2st0lwr55/wish/2121140902 -Linked to devolved context
-Addressing shared issues relevant to devolved policy
-Ability to react quickly to funding calls
-Using networks to narrow geography of Wales/bringing institutions together
-Larger network, with smaller/disciplinary groupings organised around issues relevant to devolved policy-making contexts
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Context: UKRI keen to fund Welsh bids
Who: Anyone involved in research ecosystem from senior leadership to college and school level together in a meeting
How: Create an opportunity for everyone to meet at the same time, with senior-level buy-in
When: As soon as possible - but needs time and money/resources







To:

  • Karin Wahl-Jorgensen


: UKRI keen to fund Welsh bids
-Who: Need buy-in from senior university leaders, but also grassroots involvement from scientists
-When: As soon as possible - but requires resources and time
-How: Start with senior level leadership (e.g., VCs/PVCrs) and college-level research leadership in same meeting to build network
]]> 2022-03-30 09:36:07 UTC https://padlet.com/katebuddevelopment/e4ood8s2st0lwr55/wish/2121140902 REF Impact https://padlet.com/katebuddevelopment/e4ood8s2st0lwr55/wish/2121144888 The structures of REF impact actively discourage collaborative research / impact.  Disentangling individual contributions to research to identify specific impact outcomes is generally impossible. ]]> 2022-03-30 09:38:57 UTC https://padlet.com/katebuddevelopment/e4ood8s2st0lwr55/wish/2121144888 Some thoughts on themes and 5 disciplines for action https://padlet.com/katebuddevelopment/e4ood8s2st0lwr55/wish/2121147111 1.       Industry links and clusters: 

Why? – increase Wales’ commercial R&D – talent retention - access more UK Innovate opportunities

What? Creating links and clusters to be more effective at responding to challenges

How? - Student employability – pipeline of talent/retention of talent in Wales.

Hack type events for solutions and industry led - meeting funding calls - national calls

Investment into commercialisation – venture capital question- stop losing innovative partners across the border.

Facility access – using University infrastructure – cost model.

Web portal for grass roots HE access - meetings - maintenance of directory and events (WIN funding? -  Project manager role.)  Solutions could initially be LinkedIn network?

Who? – All HEs, students, interdisciplinary aspects, industry, commercial and public sector

When?  - happening now but more effectively with WIN support

 

2.       Policy makers HE cluster – directory based upon levelling up themes

Why? What? How? Who? When?

 

3.       Fundamental sciences – critical mass – pump prime for next generation of fundamental measurement - global competitiveness

Why? What? How? Who? When?

]]> 2022-03-30 09:40:46 UTC https://padlet.com/katebuddevelopment/e4ood8s2st0lwr55/wish/2121147111 Pan-Wales Networks https://padlet.com/katebuddevelopment/e4ood8s2st0lwr55/wish/2121148426 Would be welcome. 
Small and focused events more likely to deliver enduring collaborations.  
Important for ECRs
Potentially important for interdisciplinarity.
Online/in person challenges.]]> 2022-03-30 09:41:57 UTC https://padlet.com/katebuddevelopment/e4ood8s2st0lwr55/wish/2121148426 Keep momentum going https://padlet.com/katebuddevelopment/e4ood8s2st0lwr55/wish/2121148819 Build trust and links based on topical discussions: e.g., on the Wellbeing of Future Generations act or the UN Sustainability Goals - perhaps a short (2-hour?) online meeting on one specific subtopic (one of the UN goals?) - at regular intervals, once a month?]]> 2022-03-30 09:42:18 UTC https://padlet.com/katebuddevelopment/e4ood8s2st0lwr55/wish/2121148819 https://padlet.com/katebuddevelopment/e4ood8s2st0lwr55/wish/2121160136 Open University is a 4-nation institution and receives funding from all 4 nations (a unique position). WISE comparative policy thinktank is comparing research across the nations so they can choose the best place to connect with.]]> 2022-03-30 09:51:02 UTC https://padlet.com/katebuddevelopment/e4ood8s2st0lwr55/wish/2121160136 WIN https://padlet.com/katebuddevelopment/e4ood8s2st0lwr55/wish/2121160496 How - incentivising collaboration through seed funding and enabling networking

Why - capitalise on diversity (disciplines, approaches, university specialisms, impact, civic mission)

What - interdisciplinary approaches to grand challenges and  sticky problems, promotion

Who - As many researchers as possible (not an elite thing)

When - As soon as possible so ready to go when the opportunities come up.


]]> 2022-03-30 09:51:19 UTC https://padlet.com/katebuddevelopment/e4ood8s2st0lwr55/wish/2121160496 Civic mission https://padlet.com/katebuddevelopment/e4ood8s2st0lwr55/wish/2121160897 working with local authorities, Welsh Govt and others 
consider this as a dimension of research alongside KE, Impact etc. ]]> 2022-03-30 09:51:41 UTC https://padlet.com/katebuddevelopment/e4ood8s2st0lwr55/wish/2121160897 https://padlet.com/katebuddevelopment/e4ood8s2st0lwr55/wish/2121160939 Identification of current institutional research strengths and contacts
Seed corn funding critical to support networking events
Mapping available facilities and also mapping expertise
Potential for shared facilities and resources ?
Minor funding critical to get real action rather than just words !  Need to facilitate personal interactions and links at the discipline level
In person meetings to enable unexpected links to be made !]]> 2022-03-30 09:51:43 UTC https://padlet.com/katebuddevelopment/e4ood8s2st0lwr55/wish/2121160939 How: institution-internal strategy https://padlet.com/katebuddevelopment/e4ood8s2st0lwr55/wish/2121162925 Need to build up momentum from within institutions, identify a feasible approach - e.g., who (else) to involve in what kinds of WIN events.
The WIN network must be multi-faceted and targeted and can't just mean ourselves meeting regularly, although that might be a big part of it.]]> 2022-03-30 09:53:21 UTC https://padlet.com/katebuddevelopment/e4ood8s2st0lwr55/wish/2121162925