As part of their commitment to advancing knowledge, discoveries, and solutions to local, national, and global challenges, the University of Exeter supports staff in understanding and demonstrating their impact.

As they look to enhance their overall impact and prepare for the next UK Research Excellence Framework impact exercise, the University invested in our expert-led research impact literacy training to strengthen their professional support and help academics focus on the potential impact of their work and track impact over time.

What we did and who with

Working with the university’s impact evidence and evaluation manager and assistant director, we co-developed and delivered an impact literacy training programme to be delivered in-person over two days, covering:

  • What is research impact?
  • Stakeholder mapping, targeting and context analysis
  • Methods for knowledge mobilisation – combining translation, relationship-building, co-production and systems influencing
  • Pathways to impact
  • Introduction to assessing impact

Led by Matter of Focus Co-Director and research impact expert Dr Sarah Morton, the training was a mixture of presentation, discussion and working on specific projects, illustrated with examples and using our training tools, handouts and knowledge mobilisation cards.

A group of people from the University of Exeter participating in a collaborative Matter of Focus research impact training workshop. Some are standing around a table covered with colorful sticky notes, papers, and cups, engaging in discussions. Others are standing in small groups or pairs in the background. A screen displays text reading 'Review in pairs' in the corner.

Along with university impact support staff, individuals and teams of researchers from across the university attended the training. Research topics were varied and included ecology, badgers, aviation and gender equality.

Impact officers were paired with researchers for the training workshops. During these sessions, they acted as critical friends to their colleagues offering outside perspectives and opportunities to learn from diverse contexts and experiences. The impact officers also gained new skills in how to support academics’ impact planning.

How people felt about the research impact training

Participants enjoyed the supportive atmosphere and the opportunities to share and learn from each other. Anonymous feedback on the workshops included:

It was well paced with high-quality content and good exercises.
A chance for focus on impact and take away practical tools.
I liked the focus that the sessions provided and the way the sessions built up.
Well facilitated and great interaction amongst participants.
It was great to hang everything from our project as a case study – felt very purposeful.

What people learned and gained

Overwhelmingly, participants felt they had a better understanding of research impact, stakeholders and appropriate methods of knowledge mobilisation.

A bar graph showing participant feedback on a workshop, with a scale from 'Strongly disagree' to 'Strongly agree.' Three statements are listed: 1) 'I have a better understanding of research impact' (score: 4.5, blue bar), 2) 'I have a better understanding of key stakeholders, their barriers, and enablers for my research impact work' (score: 4.3, pink bar), and 3) 'I have a better understanding of knowledge mobilisation approaches and how they apply to my research impact work' (score: 4.4, red bar).
Aggregated workshop feedback

Anonymous workshop feedback comments:

Such a logical approach to tracking impact.
Understanding research impact from the perspective of professional services staff and offering support to projects.
I appreciated the time and prompts to reflect on my project and to develop a pathway to impact. But more than that we got a better understanding of our project and the opportunities and risks involved.

What they do differently

The University of Exeter’s researchers are more able to articulate their impact, set out a pathway to impact, plan for impact and track their impact in a meaningful way.

For example, one of the participants felt that articulating this pathway to impact helped him better understand the policy influencing needed to make a difference in his area of work:

Overall, the training supported the wider impact strategy of the University.

Since the workshop we’ve integrated your approach into our own impact planning workshops and the response has been incredible – our academics are able to produce clear, targeted, and (most importantly) helpful impact and evidence planners that they can use to help them develop grant proposals, engagement research, knowledge exchange activities, and evidencing activities.
Sian Moody
Impact and Evaluation Lead, the University of Exeter

What difference does this make?

Staff at the University of Exeter have the knowledge and skills to work well with the research impact agenda, are more likely to be impactful researchers, and will be better equipped to showcase their impact in the next REF.

Perhaps most importantly, research has the best chance of benefiting people and communities.

Explore research impact support