continue to do so and to an extent we rely on the continuing focus on quality of our disciplinary journals in doing so.
7. More significantly for the wider pro- fession though, in 2014 the concept of research impact became a core aspect by which our research was measured. REF 2014 defined impact as “an effect on, change or benefit to the economy, society, culture, public policy or services, health, the environment or quality of life, beyond academia”.1
The emphasis on this impact
being categorically “beyond academia” is vitally important here. This is not about being cited by other researchers or asked to give a keynote at an academic con- ference. It is about your research being used by others – in practice, in policy formulation, in organisational changes, in enhancing people’s lives. In order to demonstrate impact, case studies must be submitted that provide evidence that excellent research is having an impact and being used by others. Here we in academia must be able to evidence that our research translates into practice – and we need documentable evidence. This collation of evidence we could and must work better with the whole professional community to achieve.
8. For the first time ever, REF 2014 acknowledged the importance of con- sultancy research which is funded by research users because the results will actually be applied by those organisations commissioning the research. Previously
34 INFORMATION PROFESSIONAL December-January 2017/18
research assessment exercises had been quite dismissive of such research as not “blue sky” or theoretical enough. This is a real opportunity for LIS again, for us to work together to produce research out- puts that align both academics research interests and the needs of practitioners for research which will enable them to achieve their own agendas. Collaborative research with professions and industry will be key to ensuring excellent impact in 2021.
9. ‘Research users’ from the private, public or third sectors, who make use of university research in their organisation or professional activity will play a key role on REF expert panels, sitting alongside senior academics. Those people are hopefully reading this paper and deciding
that this is actually a really important investment of their time. We in academia rely on you to volunteer and to bring to the panel your sense of the contribution that LIS can make.
10. Finally, and very importantly, we have in LIS a very strong tradition of interaction between academia and the profession. My own first piece of funded research was commissioned by the Scottish Library and Information Coun- cil (Slic) and explored opportunities for collaboration to support business information provision in the North East of Scotland. That closeness remains and colleagues today continue to work with CILIP, Slic and others. In a recent study I interviewed early, mid-career and
Why REF Matters
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