Available to Advance HE Members only.
Join Pro Vice-Chancellors and research leaders as they share proven strategies for building impact-driven research cultures. This interactive online event revealed the strategic thinking behind successful initiatives like Thrive and Reimagining Leadership, addressing challenges from researcher isolation to cross-sector collaboration.
You’ll leave with practical approaches and connections to peers tackling similar challenges, plus receive the session outputs to help you implement these practices at your institution—all designed to enhance your research culture beyond REF 2029 requirements.
Connecting Research Culture and Impact event took place on 15 April.
Following the event, a comprehensive Guide to Creating Your Impact-Forward Research Culture, drawing on the presentations, discussions and collective expertise shared throughout the session. This practical resource will be shared to support institutions in implementing key insights and approaches directly within their own research environments.
Are you facing these research culture challenges?
There is growing awareness among academics and funders about the importance of positive research culture, the time to act is now.
The higher education landscape is evolving rapidly, bringing complex challenges around leadership, legislation, and equity. Many institutions struggle with:
- Researcher isolation and perceived lack of support in managing people and projects
- Existing practices that act as barriers to innovation and limit research impact
- Traditional leadership models that don’t support the collaborative approaches needed for thriving research cultures
- Pressure to demonstrate impact across research outputs and increase cross-sector collaborations
- Team dynamics that need improvement to enhance the institutional research culture
What’s Included
Interactive Online Event
On 15 April 2026, 14:00 – 16:00 BST, we were joined by an inspiring line-up of institutions that have successfully enhanced their research environments:
Featured Speakers and Initiatives:
• Prof. Georgina Enfield, Liverpool University: Presenting Thrive
• Dr. Emma Francis, UCL: Presenting Collaborative Research Leadership Programme
• Prof. Candy Rowe, Newcastle University: Presenting Reimagining Leadership
Each speaker will share the strategic thinking driving their work and the short- and long-term impact on research culture and the broader research ecosystem.
People
Dr. Emma Francis
Research Fellow, Centre for Behaviour Change, University College London
Dr Emma Francis she works on Wellcome-funded research culture initiatives, including how to enable collaborative research leadership and management among principal investigators, and career development for research professional services staff.
Candy Rowe
Professor of Animal Behaviour and Cognition, Dean of Research, Culture and Strategy, Newcastle University
Candy is an academic professor at Newcastle University and currently works in a full-time central role as Dean for Culture and Inclusion. This newly created executive role includes oversight of research culture, the university’s values and behaviours, and equality, diversity and inclusion.
Who Should Attend
This event is designed for:
- Pro Vice-Chancellors for Research
- Deans of Research
- Research Managers
- Principal Investigators
- Those involved in shaping institutional research culture
Why Attend?
Many initiatives have been linking collaborative research practices with impact. This event showcases how these projects influence research culture and the research ecosystem as a whole. We recognise the importance of creating impact, driving innovation, and aligning research outcomes with wider strategic goals.
You’ll leave with actionable approaches to strengthen your academic reputation, improve talent retention, and increase the impact of your research outputs, all while building a research culture that goes beyond funding compliance.
What You’ll Gain
- Improved Understanding – Discover how AI and digital solutions can be practically applied to reduce inefficiencies, enhance experiences, and support strategic planning in your own context
- Enhanced Collaboration – Increased knowledge exchange between institutions, with new cross-sector connections formed through shared challenges and innovations
- Building Awareness – Stronger understanding of current and emerging digital practices as we capture and disseminate insights from the series
- Data-Informed Decisions – Enhanced ability to make strategic decisions and implement scalable, efficient solutions aligned with long-term organisational goals.
This event gives those leading research access to real examples from institutions that have successfully enhanced their research environments, helping you understand what truly drives a thriving research culture beyond compliance and translates into impactful research outputs.
Ireen Litvak-Zur – Senior Consultant, Leadership & Management – Advance HE
