What KT did nextKnowledge Exchange and the Creative Economy

AHRC Events for Research/KE ManagersFebruary/March 2013

Robert Keegan, KE Portfolio Manager

Why do we do it?

• To strengthen the impact of arts and humanities research by encouraging researchers to disseminate and transfer knowledge to other contexts where it makes a difference

• To raise the profile of arts and humanities research and be an effective advocate for its social, cultural and economic significance

AHRC Vision and Strategy 2007-2012

Strategic Aims 3 & 4

Why do we do it?

‘To deliver maximum benefits for society & the economy by leading the strategic stimulus of research & knowledge exchange, supporting the creative economy to stimulate growth and by contributing to the improvement of well-being & public services, especially in relation to communities’

AHRC Delivery Plan 2011-2015

We have moved……

• From KT

• To KE

What is Knowledge Exchange?

The processes by which new knowledge is co-produced through interactions between academic and non-academic individuals and communities

• Includes innovation through applying existing knowledge to new contexts

• Assumes added value to both partners

• Transformative effect on project partners

What are we doing?• Ending small, dedicated KE schemes

• Embedding KE throughout AHRC schemes

• Focusing the KE budget on:

– a small number of longer and larger grants for Knowledge Exchange Hubs

- the contribution of research to the creative economy

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What are we doing?- the contribution of research to the creative economy

• CEKE Projects• KTP sponsorship – renewed criteria• Strategic partnerships – BBC, BT, SFC, Nesta, ACE,

Design Council, Creative Scotland, Brighton Fuse

• CREATe

- Public Policy • Highlight call in Research Networking • Policy Seminars & Commissioned Research• Fellowship opportunities• Training (e.g. IfG ‘Engaging with Government’)• Policy Roadshows (in development) 7

KE & Impact across the AHRC

• Impact is the demonstrable contribution that excellent research makes to society & the economy... it embraces all the extremely diverse ways in which research-related knowledge and skills benefit individuals, organisations and nations by:

• fostering global economic performance & economic competitiveness of the UK

• increasing effectiveness of public services & policy • enhancing quality of life, health & creative output

• To deliver impact need to engage and collaborate

KE is all around us• Research Networking

• Research Grants

• Fellowships

• Follow-on Funding

• BGP2 & CDA/CDP

• Strategic Themes

Image copyright of Birmingham Archives and Heritage

KE and the PRC• Academic vs. Knowledge Exchange

- ability to recognise & appraise KE activities both large & small scale, wherever they occur

-partnerships/collaboration/co-production

-appropriateness

-added value/impact

• Strategic KE Reviewers - ad-hoc requirement for more experienced KE practitioners

• Encourage PRC members to identify their own experience/capabilities in KE

KE and the PRC

Challenges

• to widen understanding of KE

• to ‘normalise’ KE

• recognise the added value

• effective reviewing of KE

• recognise creativity & innovation

Follow-on Funding for Impact & Engagement scheme

• Re-launched 31 Jan 2013 following a 2 year pilot

• Innovation, Creativity and relevance to target audiences are key

• Must be based on AHRC/RC funded research

• Open deadlines via JeS

• Up to 12 months and £100k fEC

• Encourage smaller awards up to £30k e.g. feasibility testing/exploring new partnerships for KE, testing

the market or investigating a new business model

Follow-on Funding for Impact & Engagement scheme

to support innovative & creative engagements with new audiences & user communities

Knowledge Exchange Public Engagement Active Dissemination Policy Commercialisation

Follow-on Funding for Impact & Engagement scheme

• Deliver impact not new research• FoF should be contextualised• Well-defined non-academic need and engagement

with user communities• Reach and sustainability• So what ? – how will it make a difference?• Ensure applicants & reviewers work to the scheme

criteria.• Don’t get carried away with the topic!

Contacts

• Ellie Ricketts-Jones

KE Co-ordinator

e.ricketts-jones@ahrc.ac.uk

• Robert Keegan

KE Portfolio Manager

r.keegan@ahrc.ac.uk