Measuring our research and innovation success
We will be measuring our success at top level and through our overarching strategic goals and their objectives.
Top-level measures of success
| Five years | Reach a top 20 position in REF 2021 and for national research income for all areas in which we are research active; reach a top five position in our cluster in the forthcoming Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF); and be in the top 200 in international league tables such as QS, THE or ARWU. |
| 10 years | Reach a top 15 position in appropriate national league tables; be in the top 100 position in global league tables such as QS, THE or ARWU. |
Summary of strategic goals measures of success
Goal one: Research scale and excellence
| Objective | Key achievements by 2022 |
|---|---|
| 1.1 Research themes | Number of themes operating with at least 50 active members – four |
| Theme-related research income – 50 per cent increase over baseline | |
| Theme-related research quality – average FWCI 2.0 | |
| 1.2 Excellence and talented researchers | Number of researchers with FWCI 3 (or equivalent where citations not the norm) – 20 |
| Number of researchers responsible for 50% of research income – 60 | |
| Number of ECRs in top 20 per cent citation percentiles – increase by 25 per cent | |
| 1.3 Best-in-class place to undertake research | Number of ECRs in top 20 per cent citation percentiles – increase by 25 per cent |
| Research community staff satisfaction – top 20 institution as assessed in national staff surveys | |
| Achieve Athena SWAN Silver | |
| 1.4 Optimising world-leading outputs | University ranking in REF2021 by GPA – top 20 |
| University average FWCI – 2.0 | |
| 1.5 Strategic relationships and distinctive capabilities | Number of relationships valued at >£250k pa (or equivalent) – 12 |
| Number of research areas with FWCI >3 – 9 |
Goal two: Research infrastructure
| Key achievements by 2022 | Objective |
|---|---|
| 2.1 Distinctive capabilities and infrastructure | Level of externally supported research on the distinctive capabilities and infrastructure – 60 per cent of available time for research |
| Average FWCI for outputs from distinctive infrastructure – 2.0 | |
| 2.2 Integrated facilities | Level of externally supported research on integrated facilities – 60 per cent of available time for research |
Fraction of researchers per year accessing integrated facilities – 40 per cent | |
2.3 Researcher one-stop shop | Average satisfaction scores in survey improved by 50 per cent |
Goal three: Postgraduate, postdoctoral, and early-career researcher scale and experience
| Objective | Key achievements by 2022 |
|---|---|
| 3.1 Postgraduate researcher scale | Cohort size of PhDs – 1,500 |
| Proportion of cohort cost that is internally funded – less than 25 per cent | |
| 3.2 Postgraduate, postdoctoral and early-career researcher experience | PRES score overall ranking – 5th in UK |
| PhD completion rates – 85 per cent | |
| CROS improvement in “Recognition and Value” and “Support and Career Development” – 25 per cent |
Goal four: Innovation ecosystem
| Objective | Key achievements by 2022 |
|---|---|
| 4.1 Deepen and broaden partnerships | Direct contract research income – double |
| Number of strategic partners valued at more than £250k pa (or equivalent) – 10; managed industrial partners – 20 | |
| Established Global Entrepreneur Exchange programme – with international incubators, accelerators and SMEs – 25 | |
| 4.2 Better internal partnerships offering | Number of new industrial partners per year – 30 |
| Percentage of SRP companies with collaborative research programmes with University – 10 per cent | |
| 4.3 Extending reach and influence | Number of staff holding external advisory positions, delivering executive education or consultancy – doubled |
| New convening platforms on campus for our strategic partners – SME/industry club, annual Social Innovation Lecture series and flagship enterprise event | |
| 4.4 Transforming the technology transfer model | University ranking in KEF cluster – top five |
| Commercialisation activity and income through patents/licensing – doubled | |
| Number of centres/programmes with a bespoke commercialisation strategy – five | |
| Portfolio of active and revenue-generating spin-out companies – 30 | |
| 4.5 Innovation as core business | Staff engaged with partnerships, incubation and enterprise, executive education, consultancy or TTO – 40 per cent |
| Innovation activities balanced alongside teaching and research activities in all staff selection and promotion criteria |