LSE Impact Blog ’s Post

“In order to address big national issues, we need a much broader approach that incentivises and supports the mobilisation and translation of all the knowledge generated in universities to all sectors of the economy and society. Commercialisation is one important pathway to impact, but there are many more. Universities make more than money.” https://lnkd.in/gqZ7Tre7 #highereducation #universities #research #accord

"Institutional affiliation should not be a requirement for doing research". And, technically it isn't given that so much #research happens outside of #universities. Unfortunately universities themselves, alongside #ResearchCouncils and numerous #AcademicCommittees haven't got that message. So they continually exclude highly experienced and qualified researchers simply because they don't have a university affiliation. These scholars are therefore barred from informing practice, leading on research, co-designing, and other collaborations. Neither Helen Kara or I believe this is right, so we wrote about it for LSE Impact Blog What's your view? Comments on the blog post are open so you're very welcome to add your thoughts, experiences, or suggestions for change.

All universities should do a self assessment that critically evaluates strategic goals and actual outcomes related to community impact. It is the only way to truly understand the barriers in order to implement meaningful solutions. I would also add that community impact should not only be relegated to the social sciences, arts, and humanities, but STEM disciplines as well.

A report on the role of regional research in levelling up, published by the Higher Education Policy Institute, finds that research quality is more evenly distributed across the UK than funding or output. It suggests that the London-Cambridge-Oxford golden triangle is “no more golden” than other regions’ research. "Given that research quality is more evenly distributed across the UK than is funding or volume output, disparities in research funding across the UK may reflect a retained and somewhat toxic historical and cultural bias towards particular institutions.” https://lnkd.in/dgvR3Jy7

Owning a research journal offers universities, think tanks, and research organizations substantial benefits: 1. Boosts Academic Reputation: Showcases your institution's expertise, enhancing its standing in the academic community. 2. Fosters Collaborations: Opens doors for partnerships and joint projects with global institutions and scholars. 3. Stimulates Scholarly Growth: Encourages faculty and students to engage in research, fostering a culture of intellectual curiosity. 4. Enhances Learning: Provides real-world insights into scholarly publishing and research dissemination for students. 5. Contributes to Knowledge: Your publications can significantly influence both academia and industry practices. 6. Expands Global Influence: A well-regarded journal reaches international audiences, attracting collaborations and talent worldwide. 7. Attracts Talent: High-caliber faculty and students are drawn to institutions with strong research and publication credentials. A research journal is more than a publication; it's a catalyst for educational excellence and global influence. #drasadalishah #AcademicExcellence #ResearchImpact #GlobalCollaboration 📚🌍

Disturbing evidence of the crisis in what is taught(and researched)in so many of our universities. As the celebrated polymath and natural scientist E.O Wilson wrote in his book-Consilience-"Every college student should be able to answer the following question: What is the relation between science and the humanities, and how important is it for human welfare? Most of the issues which vex humanity daily-ethics,conflict,arms escalation,overpopulation,endemic poverty-cannot be solved without integrating knowledge from the natural sciences with that from the social sciences and humanities". “Everything is still very much disciplinarily organised” in universities and journals." “Many institutions will have [interdisciplinary] education or research programmes, but they are often subsumed under one or the other department. In the case of budget crises, these centres or programmes tend to be vulnerable because people want to keep first their disciplinary orientation and programmes.”

🎓 New Publication in Higher Education 📄 I'm thrilled to announce the publication of my latest study: "Examining the Impact of Performativity on Academic Research Agendas." This work delves into the evolving landscape of academic institutions and its effect on the strategic research agendas of academics across various scientific disciplines. 🔑 Key Insights: - We analyzed how organizational changes in academia influence research agendas globally. - This study reveals a mostly consistent relationship between institutional features and research directions across different fields. - It was found that factors like access to resources, autonomy, and a supportive, collegial environment are vital in fostering ambitious, collaborative, and multidisciplinary research. - A concerning trend: Academics closely aligned with their institution's demands tend to shy away from innovative, trailblazing research, a "fall in line" effect which permeates all fields of science. 📊 This research not only adds to our understanding of academic dynamics but also highlights the critical need to foster environments that encourage discovery-driven research, moving away from the restrictive 'publish or perish' culture. 🔗 To learn more about our findings and their implications for the future of academic research, I invite you to read the full paper here (open access): https://lnkd.in/dtWBuAkU #AcademicResearch #HigherEducation #Innovation #AcademicPublishing #ScienceAndResearch

Few academics, students or policymakers would dispute the value of addressing societal problems by setting them in the context of ‘the dynamic relationship’ between different disciplines. Christopher Daley and Linda Hantrais (LSE International Inequalities Institute) argue that interdisciplinarity, however defined, should not be used as a measure of the quality of research and teaching in global university rankings. #SocialScience #SHAPE #InterdisciplinaryResearch #HigherEducation

Greetings my readers, In this week's column, I have addressed how to increase uptake of research by Kenyan universities. Read it👇👇 https://lnkd.in/dMzesCXf

"Commercial university rankings are often positioned as a necessary evil in the life of universities. This is despite a substantial body of international literature demonstrating unequivocally their flawed nature, which is as least as strong as the evidence undermining journal impact factors. Most institutional leaders react with an embarrassed shrug; after all they must play the hand they are dealt." https://lnkd.in/eJsMHiwu #research #reseachranking #universityranking #universities