Impact is the demonstrable contribution that excellent research
makes to society and the economy. Impact embraces all the
extremely diverse ways in which research-related knowledge
and skills benefit individual, organisations and nations by:
- fostering global economic performance, and specifically
the economic competitiveness of the United Kingdom;
- increasing the effectiveness of public services and
policy;
- enhancing quality of life, health and creative output.
Impact has always been at the core of RCUK. By working with a wide range of partners in the private, public and third sectors, we have the ability to leverage both the resources and expertise
to enable us to fund excellent research which benefits both society and the economy.
We acknowledge that knowledge exchange encompasses complex and diverse activities which can deliver impact over varying timescales. The Research Councils are committed to continuing to work together to proactively provide a wide variety of accessible and flexible support mechanisms to generate economic and societal benefits from the excellent research, people and facilities they fund.
RCUK’s impact strategy was launched in March 2010 and will ensure that we build on our past successes and maximise and celebrate the impact generated from the research, people and facilities that we fund. The strategy also builds upon the Excellence with Impact: Framework for the Future and complements RCUK’s other interrelated strategies for International, Public Engagement with Research and Research Careers and Diversity.
The impact strategy has the following aims:
Further information about the RCUK impact strategy can be found here