RESEARCH SERVICES
University Offices, Wellington Square, Oxford OX1 2JD
From the Director of Research Services
Oxford Research Equipment Use and Sharing Project
Co-sponsored by Oxford’s FEC Senior Strategy Group, the Shared Services Group
and the Research Committee, the aims are to
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Examine ways to ensure Oxford is using its current research equipment and facilities to
full potential (including how we encourage greater collaboration and the shared use of
equipment within Oxford).
Share and encourage good practice, incl. via workshops; information sessions; the
Research Facilities and Equipment web site; planning forums; internal grants to increase
access and usage
Work closely with Divisions and Departments to create an on-line searchable inventory of
equipment, categorised by
• Equipment type and purpose
• Location
• Availability
with contact details, local web sites, booking systems references, etc.
to facilitate more intensive use and sharing (wherever capacity allows) and assist strategic
planning to meet current and future requirements.
1200 items have been analysed to date and the on-line service is scheduled to go live in May.
Parts of this project have been funded from the EPSRC Delivery Plan Grant to Oxford.
South East England Science & Engineering Collaborative (SEESEC)
Equipment Sharing Project
Consortium Partners
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University of Cambridge
University of Oxford
University of Southampton
University College London
Imperial College London
Overall Objective
To enable the sharing of ‘managed’ research facilities (nominated independently by each of the
universities) across the universities in the consortium. This is to be implemented through the creation of
a common data set describing the facilities available and a listing of facilities, that academic and
research staff from each university are able to access.
Project benefits
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Provide academics and researchers at the consortium universities with access to a wider pool of
facilities and equipment;
Increased utilisation of existing resources within each university;
General Enquiries Tel: +44 (0)1865 270000 Direct Line Tel: +44 (0)1865 280422
Fax: +44 (0)1865 280467 Email: glenn.swafford@admin.ox.ac.uk Web: www.admin.ox.ac.uk/researchsupport
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Increased income to sustain existing facilities
Opportunities for new collaboration across universities and research areas;
Potential economies of scale where collaborators are able to work together.
Parts of this project have been funded from the EPSRC Delivery Plan Grant to Oxford.
Examples of how greater research efficiency has been achieved in the
Clarendon Laboratory
1. Small Research Facilities.
All the equipment that is suitable for shared use has been consolidated into Small Research Facilities
(SRFs). We have created 3 new SRFs: the Clarendon X-ray SRF, the High-field SRF and the Clarendon
Nanofabrication SRF. The SFR model ensures:
A) Highly efficient operation of the equipment: for example, cryogenic equipment is kept cold
for a long period of time to accommodate multiple users, resulting in reduced helium cost
on grants and reduced energy costs.
B) Maximum return on the capital investment, as the same piece of equipment is used by
multiple grant-holders across different Departments
C) Better financial model: if the equipment is not fully booked by Oxford grant holders, time
can be allotted to external or industrial users. The access fees can be used to pay for
technical staff and maintenance costs and to build up an equipment replacement fund,
thereby reducing the cost of future equipment requests to EPSRC.
D) Scope for exploratory studies: small amount of instrument time not required on grants can
be used to develop and validate new ideas, enhancing the prospects of success for future
grants.
E) Better staff retention: technical and RA staff can be shared efficiently across multiple
projects, ensuring continuing support for the equipment and continuity in the scientific
know-how.
2. Integrated infrastructure for helium liquid/gas management.
Liquid helium is one of the main consumable costs on grants, not only for the Clarendon laboratory but
also for other Departments in the science area. Efficient management of this non-renewable resource is
essential in reducing research and energy costs for both University and funding bodies. Cryogen-free
options now exist for most pieces of equipment, but they are considerably less efficient than a properly
managed helium gas recovery and liquefaction system, such as the one operated by the Clarendon
laboratory on behalf of the University. We have recently reorganised and redesigned the operation of
our helium recovery and liquefaction service, resulting in a dramatic decrease of the down time and a
reduction of the losses and overall much greater efficiency. We have also initiated a thorough review of
the recovery lines, which extend throughout a large portion of the science area, to check the integrity of
the system, eliminate leaks and provide metering for all the returned helium gas. We will also be
offering training in efficient cryogen operation and, upon request, we will test cryogenic devices
throughout the science area to certify their efficiency.
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Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at Oxford: an efficiency example
In 2006 the MRC awarded a group of researchers in the Departments of Experimental Psychology and of
Physiology, Anatomy, and Genetics a grant for a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner. The
scanner became operational in the last week of December 2009. The researchers had in common the
fact that they all use non-human primate animal models in their research into brain function. The
provision of the scanner meant that the large group of researchers were able to obtain data that would
be difficult to obtain in other ways and which could be used in multiple ways in the research of each
researcher. Thus, ultimately, it has been the case that it is not just a piece of equipment that is shared
across research groups but that it is each data set acquired that that is often being shared across
research groups. In addition an arrangement was subsequently made so that the MRI scanner could be
used by other researcher groups needing to scan post-mortem human tissue. The combination of
research groups ensure that the MRI scanner is used fully and continuously. After only just over two
years of operation data collected from the MRI scanner are being published:
Sallet J, Mars RB, Noonan MP, Andersson JL, O'Reilly JX, Jbabdi S, Croxson PL, Jenkinson M, Miller KL,
Rushworth MF. Science. 2011 Nov 4;334(6056):697-700. Social network size affects neural circuits in
macaques. PMID: 22053054
Miller KL, McNab JA, Jbabdi S, Douaud G. Neuroimage. 2011 Oct 6. [Epub ahead of print] Diffusion
tractography of post-mortem human brains: Optimization and comparison of spin echo and steady-state
free precession techniques. PMID: 22008372
Miller KL, Stagg CJ, Douaud G, Jbabdi S, Smith SM, Behrens TE, Jenkinson M, Chance SA, Esiri MM, Voets
NL, Jenkinson N, Aziz TZ, Turner MR, Johansen-Berg H, McNab JA. Diffusion imaging of whole, postmortem human brains on a clinical MRI scanner. Neuroimage. 2011 Jul 1;57(1):167-81. Epub 2011 Apr
5. PMID: 21473920
Mars RB, Jbabdi S, Sallet J, O'Reilly JX, Croxson PL, Olivier E, Noonan MP, Bergmann C, Mitchell AS,
Baxter MG, Behrens TE, Johansen-Berg H, Tomassini V, Miller KL, Rushworth MF. Diffusion-weighted
imaging tractography-based parcellation of the human parietal cortex and comparison with human and
macaque resting-state functional connectivity. J Neurosci. 2011 Mar 16;31(11):4087-100. PMID:
21411650.
University Shared Data Centre (USDC)
The University has a new Shared Data Centre which:
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meets international standards in sustainability and efficiency
provides resilience for the University's business-critical ICT services
provides the foundation for a suite of shared infrastructure services
In the past vital IT equipment has been housed across the University, often in small spaces which were
not originally designed to house servers and equipment. Colleges and Departments now have a
dedicated Shared Data Centre designed to be resilient, efficient and secure.
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The University's new Shared Data Centre incorporates extensive power and cooling systems which were
designed to recycle cool air and minimise energy use. The aim is to lower our total energy consumption.
‘Clever Purchasing’ of Research Equipment
The specialists in the University Purchasing Department assist staff in making a purchase in a manner
which:
 Achieves value for money;
 Is ethical, transparent and pays due regard to environmental issues;
 Leaves an audit trail that meets the requirements of our external funding bodies and auditors.
The University Purchasing Department's services are available to everyone within the University and
include:
 Negotiation of preferred supplier agreements that offer best value for money;
 Negotiation of "one-off" and repeat purchases;
 Information regarding the tender process and procedures;
The Purchasing department realised savings of £5.7m across the University in 2010-11. During the year
the department considered £18 million of individual projects, delivering savings of £4.1m (2010: £3.9m),
of which £2.5m was savings achieved on goods not previously purchased by the University and £1.6m
was negotiation of a lower price than that paid in 2010 for the same goods. A further £62m (2010:
£41m) was spent under framework agreements or University-wide contracts during the year, achieving
savings of £1.6m.
Work overseen by and reported to the Value for Money Committee
Examples include
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A new VFM strategy with associated work plan for 2011-2012 has been approved by the
Committee.
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The Shared Services Subgroup has been set up to consider opportunities for clustering,
integration or sharing of support services across the University. This includes services that are
the direct responsibility of central administrative services, and those delivered in partnership
with departments and divisions. This group reports to the Committee and will agree its workplan annually.
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A key focus in 2011-12 was on the 30% target for non-pay spend to be routed through
collaborative procurement arrangements.
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The IT purchasing subgroup and the Scientific Supplies subgroup have been convened to
consider specific opportunities for action; these groups consist of academic and administrative
staff with relevant expertise.
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Personnel Services reported on the University’s performance against peer institutions and the
savings obtained from several initiatives, notably, the recruitment protocol, the early retirement
scheme and the various settlements on pay, merit awards and pensions and new measures (the
move to e-recruitment, the introduction of the new HR information system, changes to
reimbursement of mileage and relocation expenses, and better procurement arrangements for
employment law advice).
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The Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences Division’s shared services group, chaired by
Professor Chris Grovenor, is working on four service areas: stores, workshops, human resources
and finance.
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The Medical Sciences Division has set up a cost efficiency initiative group chaired by Professor
Susan Cooper. This group has made recommendations to the Medical Sciences Divisional Board
on building management and operating costs, financial and administrative processes and
collaborative working and pooled support arrangements.
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Within the Academic Services and University Collections, the recent review of the museums
included in its terms of reference the requirement ‘to explore the scope for greater
collaboration and support between the museums, including the extent to which resources could
be more widely shared’. Much work has already been done by the museums in this area – for
example, by sharing expertise in commercial-type activities such as the Ashmolean’s recent
success in re-tendering and negotiating substantial improvements in its margins on key product
lines. The Pro-Vice-Chancellor (ASUC) is currently exploring with museum directors the scope for
more strategic initiatives across the museums.
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The Bodleian Libraries decided to use temporary workers for two large projects, the ingest at
the Book Storage Facility in Swindon, and the barcoding in the Inventory Control Project.
Purchasing were involved in the negotiations with the preferred supplier which led to a
reduction in the unit rate.
‘Industry Meets Science’
Begbroke Science Park is a very good example of how great efficiency can be achieved by research
organisations. It currently has around 20 high technology companies of sizes between 2 and 40 scientists
and engineers and several university research groups that have international reputations. There are
around 420 scientists and engineers in total based on this site and it is an outstanding example of a fully
integrated academic/business science park.
Clever space use
Our Chemistry Research Laboratory, which was opened in 2004 to accommodate 440 people is now
accommodating around 600 people as a result of greater efficiency in the use of space, and some
imaginative adaptations of the building internally.
‘ Standard’ research agreements
Oxford has worked with colleagues in the Russell Group and others to help develop
‘standard’/’template’ agreements designed to streamline research contract negotiations. Examples
include:
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Brunswick collaboration agreement (short)
Brunswick collaboration agreement (long)
Brunswick MTA
Russell Group Studentship
DESCA (a comprehensive, modular consortium agreement for the Seventh Framework
Programme (FP7).