Supporting Research to Deliver Impact

About this World Café

At UCD, our research makes a difference.  The academic impact of our research is seen in the significant contributions that we make to academic advances, across and within disciplines, including significant advances in understanding, method, theory and application.  Our wider societal and economic impacts are showcased in UCD's impact case studies, and are seen in many different spheres, including culture, industry, public policy, health and the environment.  Through our research and innovation, we aim to contribute to society and improve the lives of people throughout the world.  This session seeks to explore what kinds of impacts UCD should prioritise, the external forces that affect our impact, and the kinds of changes to internal and external support for research that would increase our impact academically, societally, and economically.

Questions 

1. What types of research outputs do you think will be most important in your field over the next ten years (e.g. books, creative outputs, journal articles, datasets)?  What do you see as measures of success or excellence in your field? 

2. How can UCD best support academic freedom in a system where funders want to invest in specific areas of research?  Are there investments that UCD could make that would support disciplinary research, and also better enable interdisciplinary collaboration?  What strategies should UCD implement to cultivate the next generation of research leaders and innovators within UCD?   

3. How can UCD better engage with externally defined themes and challenges such as the UN SDGs, and the Horizon Europe missions and clusters?  Should UCD continue to define its own themes such as ‘Transforming Through Digital Technology’ and ‘Empowering Humanity’?   Are there areas of national strength or national need that UCD should increase its focus on over the next 5 years?  

4. How can UCD generate more innovation from its research, e.g. licenses, start-ups, spinouts?  How can UCD grow social innovation and social entrepreneurship?  

5. What are the key investments that UCD could make in the next 5 years that would best help researchers to successfully run their research programmes? What supports are most needed to enhance research innovation and impact at UCD in the next 5 years?  How can UCD develop these supports to emphasise a focus on the quality of our outputs rather than the quantity of our outputs?  

6. What challenges do we face in expanding our international collaborations, and what partnership opportunities exist that we haven't yet capitalised on?  How can we ensure that our approaches to partnerships and international activities remain sustainable and ethical?