Research development, maintenance and audit

Research is clearly central to the purpose of the University and specifically the University has a vision “to be recognised around the world for our signature contributions, especially in global food security, energy and sustainability, and health”. Furthermore teaching is research-led enabling students to creatively engage with new and exciting ideas, because active researchers lead nearly all teaching and students pursue projects in world class learning facilities. The University promotes academic freedom such that “all academic staff and students should be able to follow their academic interests in order to engage in research, teaching and learning of the highest quality. We value learning and knowledge for their own sake, as well as for the social and economic benefit they can bring.”

Whilst staff are enabled with academic freedom, as detailed in section 1.1.2 the University ensures that all research is conducted according to the appropriate ethical, legal and professional frameworks and standards, through a Code of Research Conduct and Research Ethics. The University’s Research and Graduate Services (RGS) provides support and advice to staff ranging from opportunity identification and business development, pre- awards, costings and contract negotiations, to knowledge transfer through technology transfer and public engagement. RGS also encompasses post-award activity, managing portfolios and specific innovation projects, in addition to commercialisation.

Quality assurance processes related to research in the School govern:  Research conduct

 Quality of research proposals either submitted externally or internally  Ethical review and approval

 Undergraduate and postgraduate research project approval processes including ethical approval

The importance of adhering to the expected code of research conduct is impressed on all new members of academic staff and post-graduate students as part of the induction process. The School has incorporated this code of conduct into the induction process, and is available alongside a variety of other information and process definitions on the School intranet. Prior to the Year 3 research projects all undergraduates are also made aware of the School's and University’s expectations for research integrity.

The University of Nottingham has established 14 Research and Knowledge Transfer Priority Groups31_{. These are areas of key focus, which support the delivery of excellence in}

research and knowledge transfer. In order to provide a focus for the development and maintenance of research in the School and to link to Priority Groups, activity within the School is divided into 6 themes (see section 0.2). All research-active academic members of staff are members of one or more themes. Themes act as homes or centres for activity and discussion. Each theme is led by a theme leader or coordinator who ensures that the members of each theme meet at least monthly for the purposes of general discussion, highlighting funding opportunities and offering postgraduate students an opportunity to present data informally to an informed audience and planning/formulating research activity and grant applications.

The quality of research is further strengthened by internal initiatives developed by the school. Thus, all academic staff are assigned a research convenor. In this, most academic members of staff are aligned with a senior staff member who acts as a research mentor with whom they meet once a semester to discuss research and funding opportunities, to identify and cultivate collaborations and discuss career opportunities and development. Research mentoring has been extended to include post doctorial scientists since it was perceived that this stratum within the school had no formally structured career guidance. In this latter case mentoring is performed by more junior staff at Assistant Professor level since we believe that these staff will have more in common with the issues of early career scientists than would senior staff; senior staff are also available for discussion as necessary.

In addition we regard it as central to the overall research strategy of the School that clinical academic staff join active research groups to facilitate their own research development and contribute their unique skills to research projects. To fulfil this policy of inclusivity we try to ensure that constructive relations are forged between clinical staff and non-clinical staff and include the latter in active research groups.

The School has made finances available for every academic staff member to have a pump- prime fund, and to fund postgraduate students and postdoctoral research assistants, including opportunity for matched funding of externally funded PhD projects. Furthermore,

the School maintains a strategic fund to support specific requests which align with the School research strategy. Consideration is given to these requests by the Research Committee and if supported are recommended to the Management Team. Staff are able to apply for additional University and Faculty funds, including a new Assistant Professors fund, to access pump priming or other funds. The School also retains a yearly budget of £750 per academic member of staff to fund attendance at conferences relevant to their professional interests; approval is by the relevant Head of Division. In addition funding is provided to support a weekly lunchtime seminar programme.

The School was one of the first Schools at the University of Nottingham to develop and implement a quality assurance process associated with research applications and proposals. This encompasses the lifecycle of a research project from inception and application for funding through to delivery. The aim of the grant proposal mentoring system is to ensure submission of high quality proposals through scientific and ethical scrutiny and to ensure that the financial aspects of the proposal have been adequately considered. Initially the intention to submit a research proposal is notified to the relevant research convenor through a concept note. The proposal is reviewed from the point of view of scientific quality either by the Research Convenor or, if it falls outside their capacity to review, by an appropriate university staff member who is able to do this. An initial ethical review of the proposal is also carried out in-house by the School Clinical Ethical Review Panel which comprises clinical and non-clinical staff plus an expert in bioethics. This panel evaluates whether projects fall within the Veterinary Surgeons Act or the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act. If the latter, projects are referred to the University Ethical Review Committee. All projects, (including PhD proposals and undergraduate projects) are reviewed in this way. Following this initial approval, a full research proposal is developed and reviewed by the Research Convenor, whilst in parallel the financial model and implications are reviewed by the School Finance and Research Team and final approvals gained by the University’s Research and Graduate Services team, prior to formal sign off by the Director of Academic Support and Administration and / or the Dean of School. To increase success with national research funding bodies (e.g. BBSRC) the final proposal is also reviewed by a panel of senior academics, including preferably a member of staff external to the School; this Panel comprises staff who have successful managed large grants and/or are on decision making bodies for grant awarders. Grant proposals to the EU are well supported by RGS both in terms of proposal and consortium structure and development of the financial model. The University is also served by an experienced consultant with long experience in EU funding.

For postgraduate research projects the subsequent process involves confirmation of funding, choice of supervisors and detailed project description and content and these are signed off in a similar manner. Undergraduate projects are subsequently reviewed from a funding and resource implication basis by the Director of Academic Support and Administration.

All publications are logged on a searchable database.

IPR issues and potential for commercial development arising from research activity are dealt with centrally by RGS under standard procedures and terms.