FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
RESEARCH AND INNOVATION STRATEGY
CONTEXT
This research and innovation strategy aims to provide an overarching vision
and framework for coordinated action to develop and enhance research and
innovation activity across the Faculty, building on our existing strengths, in the
key areas of: REF planning; research grant capture; PGR development;
knowledge exchange; and broader impact.
The Faculty of Social Science is a leading centre for research in the social
sciences.
In the RAE2008 over 60% of the Faculty's research activity was
graded as world leading or internationally excellent, with the majority of the
Faculty's submissions ranked in the top 10 in the UK, of which five were in the
top 5. The Faculty is an international centre of social science research with
some departments being world leaders.
We are also a uniquely diverse
Faculty undertaking an unusually broad range of research
Departments in
our Faculty have a good track record in terms of research grant and contract
income generation, with an annual total of around £5 million in new grants
being awarded.
The Faculty has over 600 Postgraduate Research Students
and has a strong culture of training and developing early career researchers.
Our core strategic goals are to develop the Faculty into a world leading centre
of social science research. The aim of the Faculty is to support high quality
research in whatever form it takes and to this end to support pluralism in
approach, methods and areas of research. We aim to encourage work which is
innovative, critical and engages with wider society. Through ICOSS the Faculty
supports and encourages the development of interdisciplinary research which
allows the development of new approaches to social relationships, problems
and issues. The Faculty is also concerned to highlight the social implications
of research in areas such as health and science and therefore to develop
research relationships with other faculties within the University. The focus of
research is:

Developing a strong and inclusive research culture in departments and
the Faculty which is based on vibrant departments with strong PGR
cohorts
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
Developing
research
which
is
critically
engaged
with
scholars,
practitioners and policy makers

Being at the forefront of both theoretical and policy debates in social
science;

Raising the profile of social science research both nationally and
internationally

Developing innovative and interdisciplinary research supported by the
Faculty and ICOSS

To highlight and celebrate the diversity of the Faculty

To provide a new generation of high quality researchers through our
Postgraduate
Training
who
emphasise
the
diversity
and
interdisciplinarity of the Faculty.
CHALLENGES
The likelihood of cuts in public expenditure over the medium term will make
the environment more difficult in terms of sustaining research and increasing
research income. It raises a number of important issues and questions for the
Faculty to consider:

How can we sustain the research infrastructure in the context of
efficiency gains and public expenditure cuts?

How do we develop new sources of research funding in the context of
greater competition for a smaller pot of research council funding?

How do we best support Faculty-wide postgraduate training within the
context of the ESRC bid for Doctoral Training Centre status?

How do we ensure that we maximise the potential within the Faculty for
Knowledge Exchange (KE), thus ensuring that relevant high quality
research has appropriately high impact on both policy and professional
practice?
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We believe that the following strategic objectives, and operational priorities
that flow from them, will allow the Faculty to work towards its vision despite
these challenges.
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

To provide an inclusive and enabling research environment that allows
individual researchers, at all career stages, to reach their highest
potential, while ensuring that the Faculty’s external reputation is such
that its departments are capable of attracting the highest quality
researchers at all levels

To develop the role of the Faculty in supporting departments in their
research missions through providing advice, support and investment

To develop a nuanced REF strategy in order to support individual
departments in obtaining the best possible REF outcomes

To increase grant income within the Faculty, and encourage and embed
a more robust grant capture culture within all departments to ensure
that they are less reliant on a small number of individuals for grant
income

To encourage diversification in grant portfolios so that departments are
not over-reliant on a small number of funders, and to establish
mechanisms to maximise success rates

To enhance training provision for early career researchers and ensure
that all departments have rigorous appointment and mentoring
processes for new appointments

To develop the role of ICOSS in developing a Faculty wide research
identity and to encourage increased cross-Faculty research and
dissemination

To use ICOSS to create a Faculty research space where ideas can be
exchanged and research projects developed

To support the development of research collaboration with other
researchers outside the Faculty

To raise the international profile of Social Science research in Sheffield
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
To ensure that research has the widest possible impact beyond the
university through encouraging and supporting knowledge exchange

To develop the role of the PSA in building relationships with policy
makers, those involved in the delivery of public services, and other
external bodies, and to use the PSA as a vehicle for showcasing the
Faculty’s research expertise

To build and develop a large PGR population, enhance the existing high
quality postgraduate research environment, and to ensure a successful
application for ESRC doctoral training centre status

To develop a Faculty wide strategy in relation to the training, funding
and recruitment of postgraduates and to support departments in their
postgraduate strategies

To support departments for in exploiting the widest possible sources of
funding for PGRs.
OPERATIONAL PRIORITIES
The following operational priorities, to be delivered over a 1-3 year timeframe,
will allow the Faculty to meet these strategic priorities:

Develop a suite of training and continued development provision
(including early career training and expert seminars aimed at
broadening individual researcher portfolios) via Faculty and Research &
Innovation Services (R&IS) support

Ensure, through the identification and sharing of best practice, strong
departmental research management processes, including on internal
peer review, mentoring, intelligence gathering and operational research
support

Working with professional services colleagues in R&IS, establish
seamless research management and support processes and practices at
departmental, Faculty and University levels

Broaden the range of sources for grant and contract applications and
ensure that Research Councils, the EU, UK government, major charities
and other sources are properly exploited as potential funders
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
Establishment of a Faculty REF Group of departmental REF coordinators
to share intelligence and good practice as we move through the REF
cycle, and ensure pro-active Faculty support and management of
departmental REF strategies

Ensure the long-term stability of ICOSS via its establishment as an FEC
minor research facility, and embed its role as a vehicle for Faculty-wide
training delivery and research hub

Better integration of departmental and Faculty-wide KE activity, via the
newly re-constituted PSA, such that both policy and practice /
practitioner focussed KE is supported and promoted at a Faculty level

Attain ESRC Recognition in 2010 and use this as a platform to continue
to develop the PGR training environment and grow PGR numbers

Periodically review Faculty research governance structures to ensure
continued fitness for purpose

Review the role of research centres within the Faculty in order to
evaluate the potential for further development in interdisciplinary
research and improving success in grants.
INDICATORS OF SUCCESS

Increase research grant and contract income (both gross and per fte)
via diversification of departmental portfolios, enhanced and pro-active
departmental management of the grant capture process, and fostering
stronger grant capture cultures within departments

Greater intra and interfaculty cooperation in the development of
research grant bids

Increase PGR numbers (absolute numbers and per fte) in line with
broader departmental strategies, recognising disciplinary variation in
demand and availability of funding

Successfully bid for ESRC DTC status in 2010

New support mechanisms for staff within the Faculty for research via
training and support from R&I Services and ICOSS
5

Renewed emphasis on knowledge exchange and pursuit of the impact
agenda via R&I Services support and via a re-invigorated PSA working
with the faculty’s departments to maximise the external impact of the
research base
November 2009
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