An Open Research University

Holliman, Richard; Adams, Anne; Blackman, Tim; Collins, Trevor; Davies, Gareth; Dibb, Sally; Grand, Ann; Holti, Richard; Mckerlie, Fiona; Mahony, Nick and Wissenburg, Astrid eds. (2015). An Open Research University. Milton Keynes: The Open University.

URL: http://www.open.ac.uk/blogs/per/?page_id=173

Abstract

This is the final report of the Open University’s RCUK-funded Public Engagement with Research Catalyst, ‘An open research university’, a project designed to create the conditions in which engaged research can flourish. The report describes an evidence-based strategy designed to embed engaged research within the University’s strategic planning for research and the operational practices of researchers. This programme of organisational change was informed by action research, working collaboratively with researchers at all levels across the institution to identify and implement strategies that work for them and the stakeholders, user communities and members of the public that engage with their research. Through a combination of surveys, interviews and interventions, we identified a number of challenges and proposed solutions to address them. For example, we found that researchers have a relatively narrow view of engaged research and the communities with which they interact and very few researchers strategically evaluate their engaged research activities. The report documents some of the interventions we have introduced with the aim of broadening and deepening future researcher engagement, including a definition of engaged research and revised promotion criteria that include knowledge exchange profiles. In conclusion, we argue that there is still a battle to be won for open and engaged research. For a culture of engaged research to be sustainable in the medium to long-term requires ongoing recognition and acceptance of its progressive value(s) by researchers, universities, funders and ultimately, policy-makers.

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About

• Item ORO ID
• 44255
• Item Type
• Edited Book
• ISBN
• 1-4730-0403-9, 978-1-4730-0403-0
• Project Funding Details

• Funded Project Name	Project ID	Funding Body
  An open research university: How to embed public engagement within the culture of research (RS-11-005-TB)	EP/J020087/1	RCUK

• Keywords
• organizational change; engaged research; action research; stakeholders; evidence-based strategy; reflective practices; survey interview; reward and recognition; policy makers; publics; RCUK
• Academic Unit or School
• Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) > Environment, Earth and Ecosystem Sciences
  Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)
  Institute of Educational Technology (IET)
  Other Departments > Vice-Chancellor's Office
  Other Departments
  Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) > Knowledge Media Institute (KMi)
  Other Departments > Research, Enterprise and Scholarship
  Faculty of Business and Law (FBL)
  Faculty of Business and Law (FBL) > Business > Department for People and Organisations
  Faculty of Business and Law (FBL) > Business
  Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS)
• Research Group
• Centre for Research in Computing (CRC)
• Copyright Holders
• © 2015 The Open University
• Related URLs
• • http://www.open.ac.uk/people/rmh47(Author Website)
  • http://www.open.ac.uk/blogs/per/?attachm...(Other)
• Depositing User
• Richard Holliman