PML highlighted for exemplar impact strategy

1 March 2022

Impact strategies are crucial in looking beyond the publication of research to its wider societal contributions. A new paper investigates how these strategies could be developed to better support organisations to address 21st century challenges.

After studying 77 impact strategies from Higher Education Institutions, programmes and units, and from independent research institutes including PML, the paper authors identified four exemplars, with PML recognised under “achieving impact examples of good practice” for its dedicated impact strategy.

One of four pillars of the PML Strategy 2020–2025 is ‘Science excellence and impact – strengthening PML as a world leader delivering cutting edge, innovative environmental and social science with impact to support a sustainable ocean’. The PML Research Impact Plan lays out a route to positive change through responsiveness to external drivers, receptiveness to stakeholder needs, a strategic approach, and appropriate communication of knowledge to a variety of audiences.

Jennifer Lockett, PML Senior Impact Manager, said: “We are delighted that the PML Research Impact Plan has been evaluated by a team of experts as an exemplar. PML is committed to delivering world-leading research that furthers our understanding of the ocean and creates positive outcomes for society and the environment. We developed the plan to help build on the success of the most recent NERC centre evaluation, in which all our case studies were deemed to be ‘outstanding’ or have ‘very considerable’ reach and significance. The Impact Plan is a key framework for ensuring our colleagues have the support and training they need to use impact-led planning approaches and maximise impact opportunities.”

The paper summary highlights the importance of strategies like the PML Impact Plan: “Impact strategies have the potential to articulate goals and implement activities to enable research to develop credible and relevant solutions to problems, increase effectiveness or efficiency of existing systems and processes and develop tangible new approaches to societal and planetary health and wellbeing... Whether an enabling or an achieving impact strategy, the power of these documents is in the specificity of the activities and accountability mechanisms that will enable aspirations for impact to be translated into the kinds of cultures that drive real, transformational change to meet 21st Century challenges.”

To find out more about the work of the PML Impact Team email impact@pml.ac.uk
 

Related information

How can impact strategies be developed that better support Universities to address 21st Century challenges? is currently under review in Research for All

Find out about Impact at PML