How university research can make an impact

suggests that a research project can go through a few phases before it creates impact: 1. Inputs, 2. Activities, 3. Outputs, 4. Outcomes, and 5. Impact.

In the first phase, researchers gather inputs to implement the project.

Researchers carry out activities to achieve project goals in the second phase. Outputs, achieved in the third phase of the results chain model, are the first-level results that are direct and immediate.

Outcomes are the second level or medium-term results achieved in the fourth phase. Outcomes can lead to impact, which is the long-term beneficial consequence of research.

Inthecontextofacademicresearch, inputs include research funding, expertise, laboratory facilities, library and research assistants.

Activities are research undertakings like literature survey, experimentation, simulation, survey, data analysis and theory building. Publications are most common outputs of research projects.

If a research project has come up with a prototype of a device, a company may show interest if it has a commercial potential. The company may invest in to make it a commercially-viable product.

Such an uptake by the company can be considered as an outcome of the research. If the commercialisation of the product succeeds and it generates revenue and creates jobs, then this is a manifestation of the impact achieved by this research project.

In the case of a social sciencerelated project, the research output can be a policy paper. If this policy paper generates interest among stakeholders and leads to discourse, then this is a desired outcome of this project.

The policy paper, after further improvement through deliberation, may be accepted by the authorities to prepare a new legislation.

If the adoption of the legislation leads to the improvement of quality of life and public policy, then this research project can be considered to have achieved an impact.

The above examples also show that the impact of a research project cannot happen immediately.

Impact is achieved at the end of a long and complicated process.

Research cannot create real-world impact if it does not reach the right people.

It is therefore crucial that researchers communicate their research to potential research users beyond academia, for example, business, public and other sectors.

Universities have to provide a supportive environment for researchers to pursue impact where systems are in place to train researchers, support engagement with industry and stakeholders, disseminate research achievements through the media, and provide incentives to researchers pursuing impact.

The presence of effective ecosystems at national and regional levels is necessary for increasing the chances of creating impact out of university research.

Dean, Innovative Industry and Sustainability Science Research Cluster, Universiti Malaya