Research Impact

Monitoring and Evaluation Approaches

Monday 30 June, 13.00 to 14.00 on Teams

[REGISTER HERE]

During this Clinic we will focus on monitoring and evaluation approaches and asking three main questions: ‘how?’, ‘what?’, and ‘why?’. More specifically, the session will include: discussions on methods that help build monitoring and evaluation into the progress of a project, quantitative and qualitative options for evidence gathering, and the benefits of undertaking effective monitoring and evaluation (including why this important as we prepare for REF 2029).

The session will be led by Tamsin Varney, Knowledge Exchange and Impact Coordinator, Research Strategy Office, with Dr Andrea Salter, AHSS Research Strategy Manager and REF Lead for AHSS.

Research Security Special

How the Foreign Influence Registration System 2025, Export Control and the National Security Act 2023 may impact arts, humanities and social sciences research and researchers.

Friday 27 June 2025, 13.00-14.00

Legislation around a new Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (launching 1 July 2025) with legal obligations on individuals and UCAM, and on export control and the 2023 National Security Act, will form the focus of special Research Strategy Clinic on research security led by Dr Rhys Morgan, Head of Policy, Integrity and Governance. The implications of these legislations, which may impact researchers in the arts, humanities and social sciences, will be explained in detail and there will be time for Q&As. The main part of the session will be recorded, however colleagues are encouraged to attend to ask specific questions related to their research areas during the Q&A.

About the legislation:

Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS):

The FIRS scheme will come into force on 1 July 2025. It requires registrations with the UK

government of any arrangement:

• made between an individual or entity and a foreign government to undertake political influence activities in the UK; or,
• with the Russian or Iranian government to undertake any activities in the UK.

This may include:

• research contracts and collaborations;
• less formalised activities such as conferences or meetings if they have been set up at the request of a foreign government.

This is the first major piece of national security legislation that may impact beyond STEM subjects.

For more information on FIRS see the University FIRS webpage

Export Control and the 2023 National Security Act:

On 1 May 2025 the University Research Policy Committee updated the University’s Export Control Procedure and Guidance in line with recommendations from a recent audit. The new Procedure is designed to ensure that researchers are supported to comply with Export Control legislation, and the Clinic will outline this process. The 2023 National Security Act, which has significantly increased the potential financial and custodial sentences possible for breaches of export control legislation.

Supported by the Research Office, Schools and Departments are required to undertake a structured risk assessment to identify who within the University works with export-controlled items, software and technology and to ensure that those who do are appropriately trained and follow the revised Procedure.

For more information on export control see the University export control website.

Understanding Research Financials in the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences 

Tuesday 7 May 2024, 1-1.50pm 

The video recording is provided here alongside the presentation slides. 

This Research Strategy Clinic focuses on key issues around research finances to help clarify the core principles and processes followed by the University, and Higher Education sector more widely, and how these affect researchers in the arts, humanities and social sciences. Introduced by the Head of the School of the Humanities and Social Sciences, the speakers will consider key points around managing overhead recovery from research grants, budgeting for teaching replacement, the TRAC method and full economic costing, and understanding how Quality-related Research Funding (QR) translates into budgets. We will also consider how the move to EFT (Enhanced Financial Transparency) may impact these elements. The Clinic aims to provide a high-level overview of these areas and will include plenty of time for Q & A. All welcome. 

Speakers: 

• Prof Tim Harper (Head of SHSS) 
• Dr Daniel Wunderlich (Assistant Director, Research Office) 
• Bev Housden (SHSS Finance Business Partner) 
• Ben Perks (SAH Finance Business Partner) 
• Dr Andrea Salter (AHSS Research Strategy Manager) 

Strategic Partnerships with Institutions and Businesses 

Monday 6 November 2023

A recording of Clinic 2 is provided here alongside the presentation slides.

Are you interested in finding out about strategic partnerships with institutions and businesses supported through the University’s Strategic Partnerships Office? Would you like to know more about how to engage with these collaborations in furthering your own research projects, and the support available at the University to help with this? Do you want to hear examples of where researcher specifically in the arts, humanities and/or social sciences have developed successful business partnerships and explore the potential commercialisation of research products or methodologies with support from Cambridge Enterprise?  

This webinar looked at the University’s strategic partnerships for researchers in the arts, humanities and social sciences.  

Speakers:

• Karen Kennedy (Director of the Strategic Partnership Office);
• Catherine Hasted (Head of Business Partnerships);
• Renata Schaeffer (Head of Public International Partnerships);
• Tammy Au (Head of International Support Services);
• Emma Salgard Cunha (Commercialisation Manager for Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, Cambridge Enterprise)
• with Andrea Salter (AHSS Research Assessment and Strategy Manager)