UNCONFIRMED
RKTC 09 12-13
UNIVERSITY OF BRADFORD
RESEARCH & KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER STRATEGY COMMITTEE
(RKTC)
Minutes of the Meeting held on 8th October 2012
Present:
Prof. N. Poku, PVC (Chair), Mr. N. Anwar (Finance), Dr. M. Bloj
(SLS), Ms. S. Dyson (Planning), Dr. S. Dixon, (SOM), Prof. M Hardy
(SoHS), Ms. T. Holt (Research, RKTS), Mr. M. Purdie (KT - RKTS),
Prof. D. Pankhurst, (SSIS), Prof. S. Shepherd (EDT), Prof. S. Tait,
(EDT), Prof D. Tobin (SLS), Prof. J. Weiss (SSIS), Prof B. Winn
(DVC), Prof. A. Wood (EDT)
Apologies:
Ms A. Dobrucki (Finance)
In Attendance:
Ms. G Holdsworth, Mrs S Taylor (RKTS), Prof. P. Hopkinson, Dr. E.
Griffiths (SEC)
Declarations of interest: Mr. M Purdie, Director of Incanthera and IDM.
1. Welcome and Introductions. The Chair warmly welcomed Professor P. Hopkinson and
Dr E. Griffiths to the Committee to present on the Sustainable Enterprise Centre.
Summary of outstanding actions for RKTC
Resolved
Minute
Agenda Item and Action
Responsibility
Minute
Agenda Item and Action
Responsibility
2.1
REF2014 Strategy The paper is to be
ST, RKTS
amended and re-circulated as per the
comments noted
RKTC Terms of reference and
Chair
membership are to be reviewed at the
ADRKT’s meeting and re-submitted in
RKTC2
Remit for the Associate Dean for RKT Chair
Action
3.5
4.2
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role and the RKT Strategy are to be
further discussed at the next ADRKT
meeting and brought back to the
RKTC2
4.3
Research Development Fund – The
discussion on this item was deferred to
RKTC2
Chair
5.1
Yorkshire Innovation Fund. ADRKT’s
to be circulated on the expression of
interest process for internal projects
MP
7.0
RKT Centre Reviews- A full report will
be presented at RKTC2
MP
8.1.5
The Ethics Policy for Research doc
(RKTC 04 12-13)to be reviewed by
RKTC members and consulted within
the Schools to enable comments to be
fed back to the Chair of CER
SS
1. 12-13
Presentation to the Committee from the Sustainable Enterprise Centre
(SEC)
NOTED:
1.1
That at the previous request of the RKTC noted in the minutes from
May 2102, Professor P. Hopkinson, Director of the Sustainable
Enterprise Centre, and his colleague, Dr. E. Griffiths, gave an
update on the status of the project. A presentation pack was
supplied to compliment the presentation.
1.2
That the SEC is a jointly funded (ERDF, HEFCE, University) £5.2M
project, that plans to be fully operational for the building opening in
April 2013.
1.3
That publicity from hosting the recent Leeds City Region BASE
event had been very complimentary, and had enabled the SEC to
building a contacts database of around 650 business associates.
1.4
That it is a ‘School of Management led’ project, but it is emphasised
that the success of the Centre lies in the cross-school, transdisciplinary nature of collaboration and academic focus.
1.5
That the SEC is already working closely with the Centre for
Sustainable Environments, to develop FP7 and TSB bids.
Discussions are also underway with the School of Life Sciences and
Executive Education at School of Management.
1.6
That the Business Plan will be finalised and submitted to the senior
management team within the next two weeks. It was commented
that the centre will need to focus on the clarity and purpose of the
SEC, and to clearly communicate this to both the internal and
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external audiences. The finalised business plan is to be
communicated to the RKTC to enable the Committee to engage and
support the SEC in the future.
2. 12-13
Minutes of the previous meeting and matters arising (Doc: RKTC 28 1112)
NOTED:
That the minutes were read and approved as an accurate record with the
addition of a correction to the title of P. Hopkinson to Professor.
Matters arising:
2.1
Minute 23.1 REF 2014 Strategy (Document RKTC 06 12-13) an
updated paper was circulated for information and comment. It was
noted that the formatting of the document will need some editorial
changes and the content checked for the inclusion of all UOA
listings at this stage, but in principle the paper was supported. It was
stressed that a grade point average of 2.5 for each unit of
assessment is the minimum requirement, and it is the University’s
aim to significantly raise the bar in this area if it is to achieve the
goal of being one of the top 50 research institutions in the UK.
Action:
Comments noted and the paper will be amended and re-circulated
by RKTS.
2.2
3. 12-13
Minute 29.6 – it was confirmed that one new post, PGR Student
Administration manager, had now been successfully recruited. The
Committee noted that the current level of administrative support for
PGR should still warrant further review, as it is the opinion of some
committee members that it remains under-resourced at present.
RKTC - Terms of Reference and Membership (Document: RKTC 01 1213)
NOTED:
3.1
That in line with a review of the University Committee and
Governance structure through Senate and Council, the terms of
reference and membership for this Committee is to be redefined to
reflect the academic balance of its members, and the strategic
nature of its remit, both for the Research and Knowledge Transfer
elements of business.
3.2
That it is suggested this should include the formal membership of
the Associate Deans for RKT as primary School representatives,
with the Deans or their nominees as alternative attendees.
3.3
That a Deputy Chair for this Committee does not necessarily need to
be a Dean of a School.
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3.4
That the role of the Finance representative should be reviewed to
consider whether it should be specified member or a ‘by invitation’
attendee.
3.5
That this review will also include a review of the sub committees that
report into the RKT Committee.
Action: The Chair to meet with the Associate Deans for RKT to redraft the
RKTC terms of reference and membership with the assistance of the Planning
office. (NP)
KEY AREAS OF BUSINESS
4. 12-13
RESEARCH
NOTED:
4.1
4.2
That Mrs. S. Taylor gave an oral report on the update position
of Research Excellence Framework 2014 Submission,
supported by several tabled documents. Key points:
4.1.1
That an ‘Update Report of REF 2014 preparations’ and a
draft memo were circulated confirming plans for the
Autumn 2012 Mock review of REF 2014, which outlined the
timescale for the submission. Responses will be required
by 16th November 2012 to meet with the 30th November
2012 deadline.
4.1.2
That in conjunction with discussion with the Associate
Deans RKT, a form had been designed to record individual
feedback discussion regarding proposed submission status.
This was circulated for information and note.
4.1.3
That the impact case studies have now all been received in
draft form. Based on FTE calculations, the institution will be
required to develop between 22 – 26 Impact case studies.
These will be selected out of the best submissions from the
pool of 40 received.
4.1.4
That a Declaration of Personal Circumstances form will be
circulated out to all academic staff during October. These
will be dealt with in a strictly confidentiality nature through
the Equality and Diversity office.
That the agenda items 6.2 and 6.3 relating to the document
‘Associate Deans for RKT Remit’ (Document RKTC 05 12-13) and
the RKT Strategy will be reviewed at the next Associate Dean for
RKT monthly meeting with the PVC RKT, and these matters will be
brought back to the Committee in December 2012.
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Action:
agenda.
4.3
Both items are to be re-raised on the December 2012 RKTC2
That a draft paper on the Research Development Fund (Document
07 12-13) was circulated for information and note. The Chair
commented that a case for investment in early careers research and
for sabbaticals for existing staff will be part of the ongoing support to
grow research activity in the University, post REF2014.
Action: This paper will be discussed in further detail at the next committee
meeting. (NP)
5. 12-13
KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER
NOTED:
5.1
That the Head of Knowledge Transfer gave an oral report on the
progress of the Yorkshire Innovation Fund. The bid was formally
submitted on 23 August 2012 and was accepted for appraisal on 11
September 2012. Subject to the 30 day consultation process, the
University is preparing to proceed to contract from November 2012.
RKTS are working with School business contacts across the
University to develop their expressions of interest for suitable
projects.
It was agreed that these submissions will be
communicated to the Associate Deans for RKT for each school. An
update paper on the Yorkshire Innovation Fund (YIF) (document
RKTSC 08 12-13) will be made available on Blackboard for
information and note.
Action:
Associate Deans to be circulated on the expression of interest
process for the YIF (MP).
6. 12-13
That further to agenda item 7.2, an oral report on Enterprise, this item will be
picked up at a later stage.
7. 12-13
That following the completion of the reviews of the RKT Centres’
performance and plans, in the main there was a very good level of support
from the University to continue to enable them to deliver on the RKT Strategy.
Action: A full written report will be made available at the next committee
meeting (MP)
8. 12-13
REPORTS FROM THE SUB COMMITTEES:
NOTED:
8.1
Committee for Ethics in Research (CER)
8.1.1
That the minutes from the meeting on 25th September 2012
(document RKTC 03 12-13) were circulated for information
and note.
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8.1.2
The Chair of the Ethics Committee in Research (CER) had
redefined their Terms of Reference to extend it to include
governance.
8.1.3
That in particular, the governance structure on the Ethics
Policy needs urgent review and it was recommended that
this would be discussed at RKTC1.
8.1.4
That the ‘University of Bradford Ethics Policy for Research
involving Human Participants, Data and Tissue’ (document
04 12-13) is an excerpt from a policy document that was
approved by Senate in July 2010. It was designed to
specifically set road blocks in place and to protect the
University’s position on ethical regulations.
8.1.5
The Chair notified members that this is not fully being
adhered to, and that there is urgent need to set
governance and procedures in place to ensure that the
University complies with the terms set out in the policy.
Action: Committee members were asked to read the recommendations and
consult within their Schools. Comments should be fed directly back to the
Chair of CER, who will review any recommendations with the Director of Legal
Services and update at the next meeting. (SS)
8.2
University Commercialisation Group (UCG).
8.2.1
8.3
There was no business to report on the UCG at this
meeting.
Research Degrees Committee (RDC) (document RKTC 02 12-13)
8.3.1
That the minutes of the meeting dated 16 July 2012 were
circulated for information and note.
8.3.2
That an item from a previous set of RDC minutes had been
brought to this Committee for comment regarding the role
descriptor for the PGR Director and that Prof D. Pankhurst
would welcome any feedback. The Chair suggested that
this role could be assessed in conjunction with discussion
around the development of the role descriptor for the
ADRKT’s, and will make any recommendations accordingly.
THE DATE OF THE NEXT COMMITTEE MEETING IS 10
DECEMBER 2012, COMMENCING AT 2.30PM IN ROOM D2.
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