Towards 2020: Research in the School of Languages and Social Sciences at Aston University

Transcription

1 Towards 2020: Research in the School of Languages and Social Sciences at Aston University The pursuit of research excellence is central to the School s identity and to its continuing future success. LSS enthusiastically endorses Aston University s vision to be a world-class university engaged in rigorous research that is relevant to users and that supports the wider economy and society (Forward. The Aston 2020 Strategy). LSS is well-placed to contribute to this through a research culture that is distinctive and multi-disciplinary. Researchers in the School of Languages and Social Sciences (LSS) are a multi-lingual, multi-disciplinary community, working across the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, and bringing together a unique blend of internationally well-connected scholars. The School is nevertheless committed to consolidating further its research activities. It considers the provision of an intellectually stimulating and supportive environment for research active staff as integral to its future successes. It also recognizes that its research culture is both the product of staff research interests and activities, as well as a means to take these interests and activities forward. The LSS research strategy aims to enhance research excellence at all levels to prepare for REF 2020 (see also Appendix1: LSS REF2020 Strategy). The key areas in this process are: Research environment and culture Generating excellent research outputs; Generating research funding; Research students; Generating impact; Dissemination and community engagement. Research Environment and culture The School of Languages and Social Sciences comprise four Academic Subject Groups (ASGs), covering subjects across the Humanities, the Arts, and the Social Sciences: English Language (EASG); Languages and Translation Studies (LTS); Politics and International Relations (PIR); Sociology and Policy (SP). Research in LSS is inter- and multidisciplinary in its general orientation. Thus, researchers from different subject groups engage in collaborative research and maintain national and international contacts through the LSS Research Centres. Research Centres ( The Aston Centre for Europe (ACE); launched in 2009 Centre for Forensic Linguistics (CFL); launched in 2008 Centre for Language Research at Aston (CLaRA); launched in 2011 Interland: Diversity, equality and inclusion; launched in 2009 as a cross- School/University initiative

2

3 The Research Centres provide a forum for researchers from across LSS and the University, host externally funded research projects and act as a focus point for research students. They organise conferences and workshops, and host national and international speakers. Affiliation to Research Centres is based on individual researchers areas of expertise, specialism and interest. Researchers may contribute to the work of more than one Research Centre or may associate themselves with a Research Centre for a specific project for a period of time. Aims and objectives for the coming years These key areas are reflected in the following objectives for the next five years: Objective 1: To consolidate and grow an inter-disciplinary research environment through the four LSS Research Centres LSS comprises a unique community of international scholars, who, in a larger University, might well be spread across four separate Schools of English, Modern Languages, Politics or Social Sciences. In order to collaborate effectively and to better communicate our expertise, the foci of our research and an understanding of our common goals are now situated within a more formal organizational structure based on four Research Centres. The four centres have been established between 2008 and 2011 as a result of a School growing from Modern Languages and European Studies to a much larger institution which encompasses the afore mentioned subject areas. The Research Centres are essential to enhance the internal and external visibility of our research projects, activities and general achievements. They enable researchers to develop inter-disciplinary approaches to their work and ensure that all research-active staff and research students are appropriately supported so as to reach their full potential. The School is committed to provide the four centres with operational resources, such as a member of support staff (shared in equal proportions by the four centres) and an annual start-up budget. By 2020, we are aiming to consolidate this productive and inspiring research structure. The Centres have begun to generate a considerable amount of research income and will become the intellectual home for the School s academic staff and research students. By 2020 we expect these Centres to be internationally recognized and generating significant research income. Objective 2: To maintain and increase the quality and quantity of high-level research output in order to enhance performance in REF 2020 and beyond By 2020, we aim to increase the number of high quality outputs, focusing on both, monographs and articles published in high impact, peer reviewed academic journals. We will ensure our publications conform to green open access. Through regular writing retreats, peer review and the application of the LSS policy on research leave, we aim to support both early career and established researchers. Through the regular organization of conferences and symposia we will showcase our individual outputs

4 and promote School and University research more widely. By applying the Research Administration Software system PURE, we aim to both monitor individual researchers progress and make research outputs more readily accessible to scholarly communities and the general public. Objective 3: To increase external research income Over recent years, the School has been successful in achieving its targets for external research funding. We recognize that the funding climate has changed, that we need to adapt to the current situation, and raise ambitions to respond to the fact that the public funding of research is becoming ever more targeted, focused and competitive. We need to input to the formulation of calls for bids, anticipate forthcoming programmes and to target applications for external research funding not only on RCUK but especially on European Funding bodies. Our aim by 2020 is to: a) improve our success rate from currently 41% to 60%; b) to increase the number of applications for EU funding; c) increase the average application value from currently ; d) generate a growth in annual research income from in 2013/14 to 1.2 million in 2020; Objective 4: To develop a stronger interdisciplinary and international research network based on partnerships with European and international institutions and funding bodies LSS has longstanding links with European institutions such as partner universities and funding bodies for a considerable time, e.g. with the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), the Austrian Cultural Institute, the Goethe and the Cervantes Institutes. We aim to build on these links as a basis for further more extensive collaboration with a growing body of international partner organisations. LSS Researchers are already an international group of scholars from Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Poland, Rumania, Spain, Latin America, South Africa, Turkey, the US and the UK. As such, they are ideally positioned to further develop existing research networks and familiarity with different research cultures in order to increase international collaboration and build on recent successes. Objective 5: To support the development of researchers in LSS Staff development is a key part of our strategy, and we will continue to provide development for research active staff at all stages of their careers: For established researchers, through a regular process of PDR (Personal Development Review) in which research features as a central priority; For early career researchers, in addition to the PDR process, through mentoring and training; For all researchers, through

5 - a lively and inspiring research, e.g. research seminar series, the Distinguished Visitors scheme, national and international conferences hosted at Aston; - provision of opportunities and conditions which enable productive research, such as a weekly research day, the opportunity to apply for research leave, conference support and writing retreats; - a dedicated Research Enhancer for each ASG to provide strategic advice, to read and critique drafts of publications, research applications, grant applications and to advise on the REF; - a rich programme of skills development courses at University level; - provision of support from the University s Research Support Office (RSO) in relation to applications for external research funding; - provision of technical support and IT resources to support research. - Objective 6: To increase the number of LSS research students Working with an engaged community of research students is essential for developing and training the next generation of thinkers and leading researchers in our areas of expertise. Currently, a researcher in LSS supervises the FTE equivalent of 0.64 research students. By 2020 we aim to have increased the average staff/student ratio to 1.5 FTE and to have also improved completion rates further. Over the next five years we plan to Increase recruitment of international and home students by improving research dissemination, communication and publicity monitor and where appropriate update the LSS Research Methods and skills module; increase the research training provision for Distance Learning students; monitor completion rates; attach students to Research Centres whenever possible; increase the number of conference presentations and publications by PhD students before their viva voce examinations, for example by organizing an annual Interdisciplinary Postgraduate Conference; offer up to three LSS doctoral bursaries annually; explore opportunities for joint doctoral programmes with universities outside the UK and prepare bids for funding; participate in consortia with other UK institutions to bid for doctoral training partnerships. Objective 7: to encourage research with impact for the local, national and international communities There is increasing interest in understanding how research influences arenas beyond academia. REF 2014 was the first to explicitly require research active staff to provide case-studies that demonstrated the pathway from research to changes that occurred in industry, the public sector, policy and society. This impact agenda is also reflected in most research funders who expect research proposals to include an indication of the way the research outputs will influence those outside academic settings.

6 LSS is keen to support staff to build and record the impact of their research. The LSS Research Centres and the use of websites and social media will be essential elements of these processes. The School, the Research Centres and staff are also urged to engage more explicitly in their research activities with non-academic collaborators whether these are public sector organisations, charities, community organisations or part of the business community. Building collaborations with non-academic partners in to research programmes is an efficient mechanism for generating pathways and evidence of the effect of research outside of academia. (Appendix 2: LSS Impact Strategy) Objective 8: to demonstrate our research excellence to the outside world We seek to demonstrate our research excellence to the outside world through the quality of our publications, and also through - election or appointment to prestigious bodies and learned societies; - scholarly awards and distinctions; - leading roles in professional subject associations; - editorial positions; - acting as members of peer review colleges and panels of funding bodies such as AHRC, ESRC etc.; - refereeing academic publications or research proposals; - giving invited keynotes, lectures and seminars; - working with the University s marketing department to improve the visibility of our work; - producing an excellent submission for REF2020. Updated February 2015 (GR; DT, with contributions from members of the LSS Research Strategy Forum) To follow: Appendix 1: LSS REF 2020 Strategy (GR) Appendix 2: LSS Impact Strategy (JT)