Do you need help to create research impact?

When I talk about research impact, I am not talking about journal publications and citations. I am referring to the social, economic, environmental and other types of broader impacts from the use of research knowledge.

Use of knowledge can take many forms; often there is an assumption that something needs to be a product or a commercial output if it is to be used in some way. However, when we think about knowledge and the translation of that knowledge, it can take multiple forms and have many and varied uses by a raft of different audiences or knowledge beneficiaries.

Are we taking research impact and translation seriously in Australia?

Research impact, of the kind we are talking about here, is high on the agenda of funders both here in Australia, and around the globe. The way universities are awarded funding for the indirect costs of research through the Research Block Grant funding (RBG) has changed to include measures of engagement, as proxied by category 2-4 funding. Granting bodies are shifting their focus to impact. This is evidenced by the recent Engagement and Impact Assessment trial and the inclusion of impact case studies in the upcoming 2018 Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) data collection. Also, changes to NHMRC funding, namely the introduction of "ideas grants" and special calls in translational research highlight that innovation and translation are on the agenda. Additionally, we have seen the introduction of the Advanced Health Research and Translation Centres to support research translation, and investment in these collaborative centres has begun with allocations from the Medical Research Future Fund.

How does this affect you?

It's time to start taking this seriously. Researchers, their organisations and the beneficiaries of research are all keys in the research impact agenda.

Universities and research support staff will need to focus on the support an organisation provides for the translation of research into practice and the creation of impact, and they are being assessed on their abilities to do so. This will require a significant culture change and education to broaden the understanding of impact beyond citations along with some serious considerations of what supporting translation might look like.

Also, there is the move toward impact reporting through the development of impact case studies, similar to the process undertaken in the UK. The changes to RBG's will no doubt drive greater interest in industry collaborations and alternative research funding mechanisms.

Researchers are now asked for information on translation activities, collaborations with research users, consumer participation and experience in changing policy and practice. Those researchers that have applied for the NHMRC Translation Research Into Practice (TRIP) funding will be very familiar with these key elements.

The importance of collaborations with industry partners, and non-academic stakeholders, along with the development of research translation and impact planning, and the capture of impact evidence is increasing. Already we have seen many funders move toward translation planning and the inclusion of broader impact and knowledge uptake sections within their grant applications. Don't be surprised if this becomes an essential requirement across all Category 1 research funding in Australia.

"Impact shows that people knew what to do with the knowledge you shared"

What mistakes are we making?

Common feedback amongst funders and the reviewers of research grants, particularly when it comes to translation and impact are:

• Poor or inadequate articulations of collaboration with industry in a way that shows meaningful engagement and strength of the relationship.
• No consideration of outputs other than peer-review journal articles and conference presentations.
• Lacking the determination of broader social, economic, or environmental impacts and a logical pathway to create these opportunities for impact.
• Missing reference to the sustainability or scalability of the intervention to create ongoing impacts.
• Research translation plans did not include suitable outputs, stakeholders or methods of knowledge sharing and transfer.

The above points are all aspects of knowledge translation planning, a formal process to ensure you have a clearly defined goal and supporting pathway to creating impact from your research.

What can you do to prepare?

Take the time to map out the knowledge users and other beneficiaries of your research, what are the outputs that are important to them, what role can they play in the research process or the implementation of new knowledge. Consider you KT goals, the resources you require and what measures you can put in place to demonstrate your success.

Now is the time to deepen your understanding of translation, the terminology and how to create impacts from your research. If you are unsure how to approach your translation planning or what strategies to use, consider doing some training, there are many opportunities available in Australia.

One example is the world class KT training, the Scientist Knowledge Translation Training (SKTT) two-day course, developed by Dr Melanie Barwick and her colleagues from SickKids Hospital in Canada. SKTT is available in Australia and happening next month. Find out more here and take the opportunity to prepare now for the future of research funding.

• Tamika Heiden is the Founder and Principal of Knowledge Translation Australia – a service that facilitates the movement of research knowledge into life. She works with researchers and research stakeholders to ensure their work is relevant, useful and useable so that it provides benefit and value to society.
• If enjoyed this article, please head on over to www.ktaustralia.com or join our mailing list.