Vice Chancellor's Handbook - UGC
2.6. Key principles that are to be articulated by a ViceChancellor
2.6.1. Engaging with policy:
a) Stable and constructive dialogue between
government, universities and research
funders is required to anticipate policy
change and build confidence.
b) Backing up of policy with credible evidence,
even when it hurts and not to be afraid of
evidence that takes one in a direction that one
might not have expected.
c) Academic scholars in policy environments
should be alert to environmental, cultural and
experiential challenges.
d) Political environments are challenging to
navigate, but the demand for evidence - based
policy making is substantive and pressing.
Research Uptake (RU) is defined by the Department for International Development as ‘all the activities that facilitate and contribute to the use of research evidence by policy-makers, practitioners and other development actors.’ Research Uptake involves participation in key activities to support the supply and usage of research through stakeholder engagement, capacity building, communications, monitoring and evaluation and assessing progress of previous efforts.
e) Funding bodies also need “good stories” and
strong examples of results to inform the
designers of their own programmes.
2.6.2. Institutional change
a) Funders are interested in the strategic focus
for long-term impact of research, though
institutional change can be slow.
b) University systems shape research culture
amongst early career researchers and senior
academics alike.
c) Researchers as communicators specialize
in professional support for research
communication; both are important for highquality research uptake.
d) Research relevance is a function of identifying
stakeholders early in the research design
(whether stakeholders are local, national,
governmental, private, academic or broadly
public).
e) Ownership for sustainability in the university context should be at the heart of research
uptake strategy and methodology
