image1
image2
image3

Non-geographically specific parallel sessions

The parallel sessions detailed below are relevant to delegates from all locations. Some sessions include only UK-based speakers; others only speakers based overseas, and speakers can be expected to reflect on their experiences where they are based. However, the topics addressed in these sessions are common to the business of research administration and management wherever research organisations are located, and delegates from all locations will find discussions in these sessions relevant to their experiences. Please review the description of each session for further information about what it will cover.

For other sessions, see also:

102: Good Practice in Managing International Collaborative Projects

Prof Richard Higgott, Pro-Vice-Chancellor Research and Senior Scientist, GARNET Network of Excellence, Centre for the Study of Globalisation and Regionalisation, University of Warwick
Eleni Tsingou, GARNET Programme Manager and Research Fellow, Centre for the Study of Globalisation and Regionalisation, University of Warwick
Sandra Nordahl CRA, Manager, Sponsored Research Administration, San Diego State University Research Foundation

This session will address the challenges of managing international research networks and establishing good practice and long term sustainability. Drawing on the experience of the EU-funded GARNET Network of Excellence, the session will assess the usefulness of available management tools and techniques, evaluate the specific problems arising from cross-border collaboration and consider the importance of management transparency and accountability, taking into account the considerable costs of project management in an international context.

103: Practitioner Reflections: The theory and practice of designing, implementing and maintaining Electronic Research Administration systems (panel discussion)

Ian McCormick, Director of Research & Business Services, University of East Anglia
Alan Bates, Senior Consultant H.E sector, Baum Hart & Partners, UK
Serena Cooper, System Manager, Science and Technology Facilities Council
David Downton, Research Operations Officer, University of Leicester, UK
Robin Drennan, Executive Director: GMSA, National Research Foundation, South Africa
Yvonne Fox, Research Support Manager, University of Lancaster, UK
Ian McCormick, Director of Research & Business Services, University of East Anglia

This panel session is designed to give a practical insight into the design, implementation and maintenance of electronic research administration systems from the perspectives of research organisations, funders and commercial suppliers. Each member of the panel will give a short presentation to highlight some key points, and then the discussion will be opened up to the audience.

104: Ethics, governance, research and enterprise: management approaches to conflicts of interest

Dr Peter Hooper, Head of Research Services, University of Keele
Prof Laetus O K Lategan, Dean: Research and Development, Central University Technology, Free State

With the developing agenda of 'user-engagement', enterprise and entrepreneurship, it is vital that universities and research organisations have clear procedures for dealing with real or perceived conflicts of interest in research projects. A fundamental strand of any policy in this area must the awareness of researchers (and others) of what is an appropriate approach and when to seek guidance. Not all cases of potential conflict of interest are clear-cut and institutions need to have clear, defensible and consistent approaches when dealing with these with these issues. The area of 'business ethics' and 'environmental ethics' are overlooked but increasingly important aspects of research and enterprise activity.

105: Profiling the Research Administrator: Who are we and where are we going?

Dr John Kirkland, Deputy Secretary General (Development), Association of Commonwealth Universities
Dr John Green, Chief Coordinating Officer, Imperial College London

Both the size and functions of research administration offices have increased in recent years. Often, this expansion has been ad-hoc in nature, responding to specific opportunities. There remains a lack of information about the background and motivation of the individuals that make up the profession.

This session will provide the first results of a major international survey conducted by the Association of Commonwealth Universities. It will address questions such as: what type of person becomes a research administrator? What are their backgrounds and aspirations? What skills do research administrators need, and what skills are lacking? What, in the view of those working in research administration, are the major challenges facing the profession?

106: The Development of Research Clusters

Peter Townsend, Director, Research Office, Loughborough University
Janet Dibb-Smith, Senior Advisor, Research and Innovation Cluster Directorate, University of South Australia

This session will explore the development of research clustering where universities are increasingly realising the importance of facilitating inter-disciplinary research and of undertaking collaborative research between two or more regionally based institutions, based upon supporting a particular theme or industry which may also be geographically co-located. Examples will be drawn from the presenters' own institutions including from the fields of energy technologies, sustainable communities, health and defence. The rationale for such collaboration, success factors, and implications for institutions and their research support functions will be explored.

107: Capacity building and managing research in emerging research environments

Prof Adelani Ogunrinade, Vice-Chancellor, University of Lesotho
Prof Ishekumba Kahwa, Head, Department of Chemistry, University of West Indies
Dr Hans Hagen, Senior Manager, International Grants, Royal Society

  • Theme(s): Developing and supporting researchers/SYS
  • Target Audience: Delegates from research organisations in developing countries and from universities elewhere with a limited research profile
  • Experience Level: Any

This session will focus on capacity building from the perspective of a UK funder, and of institutions in developing countries.

Newly emerging universities and research institutes, as well as established ones, in developing countries face a plethora of problems arising from lack of human and material resources, lack of research infrastructure, lack of mentors and role models often categorised as a 'lack of research culture'. The presentation will focus on how to get things done from scratch, often with little money but a lot of ingenuity and creativity, involving case studies on kick-starting and managing research in these institutions.

The second presentation will address approaches to supporting capacity building, including a discussion of reconciling the different needs and deliverables from the sponsor's and recipient's perspective, which will include support for both research and post-graduate training.

203: Working with Industry

Colin Cooper, Assistant Director of Research, University of Liverpool
Dr Alison Hodge, Univesity Partnerships Director, QinetiQ

This session will provide views from a university and an industrial perspective:

  1. One of the fundamental activities of a contemporary university is to engage in collaboration with external bodies where both parties can use the generation of new knowledge to further their own core activities. This presentation will review how universities collaborate with Industry focusing on relationships, contractual arrangements and what makes for a successful collaboration.
  2. The UK Government wants universities to work more extensively with business and industry. However, the take-up is still not as high as perhaps wished for. Why? This presentation will explore some of the issues that influence business and industry in why and how they wish to interact with the academic sector. Topics to be considered can include the impact of full economic costs, the value of intellectual property both background and foreground, commercial and other sensitivities, freedom to publish and the availability of appropriate resources. Does industry expect too much or are we satisfied?

204: Accreditation: Pros and Cons drawing on experience in the US and UK

Michael Bone, Chairman, Association of Research Ethics Committees (AREC)
David Anderson-Ford, Vice Chair, Association of Research Ethics Committees & Chair, Research Ethics Committee, Brunel University
Ada Sue Selwitz, Director, Office of Research Integrity, Kentucky University

This session will compare and contrast the UK and US systems of University Research Ethics Committees/Institutional Review Boards with a particular focus on the issue of accreditation.

In recent years, UK universities have increasingly established research ethics committees to review research undertaken on human participants in both clinical but non-NHS, and non-biomedical projects. But this has been in a haphazard and disparate manner. They may not have any regulatory requirement, and each university determines its composition, terms of reference and standard operating procedures (SOPs). The University sector of AREC is currently producing guidance on SOPs, quality assurance and accreditation, planning to examine the lessons learnt from the NHS model of practice in order to make the system robust and fit for purpose yet responsive to the needs of the sector with its extremely broad interest and fields of activity.

In the US, however, the research ethics committee's composition and operation, and informed consent requirements, are strictly regulated by nineteen federal agencies and Food and Drug Administration policy. In addition, the research community has adopted an accreditation system which is designed to ensure that human subjects research being conducted by institutions meets the highest ethical standards. We will discuss lessons learned about obtaining and implementing accreditation for human research protection programmes.

205: Best Practice in using Business Intelligence in determining Research Strategy

Mark Hochman, Director, Research and Innovation Services, University of South Australia
Kim Davidson, Deputy Director, Research and Innovation Services, University of South Australia
John Green, Chief Co-ordinating Officer, Imperial College, London

Most universities collect data at both project and institutional level. We are well used to using such data for comparative or benchmarking purposes, yet often this is where the use of such data stops. There is a wealth of additional information - business intelligence - that can be gleaned from standard university data and readily available business data from external sources. This session will explore how using such data can assist in developing institutional research strategies, determining institutional distinctiveness, identifying new business opportunities and supporting strategic growth.

207: Researcher Development: Comparative perspectives on effecting institutional and national culture change

Dr Tracey Swift, Head of Research Development and Postdoctoral Research Training, Research Office, University of Sheffield
Dr Lucy Lee, Development Advisor, Medical School, University of Sheffield
Dr Robin Drennan, Executive Director, GMSA, National Research Foundation, South Africa

This session will provide a funder's perspective and an institutional perspective on researcher development.

The funder perspective will focus on the dual challange of improving global competitiveness whilst simultaneously developing a new cohort of researchers which better reflects the national demographic in South Africa. This part of the session will explore both strategies and practical tools used in supporting institutions in meeting these twin challenges.

The UK institutional focus will be on three key factors: Consultation, Engagement and Evaulation, which have emerged as being fundamental to researcher development at both university and departmental levels. Using the University of Sheffield as an example, the session will share lessons learned from models applied in two different faculties, Social Sciences and Medicine, showing how an alliance of research administrators is integral to the progression of development programmes across an organisation.

302: European Funding Opportunities

Pete Munday, Eureka UK National Project Coordinator, Technology Strategy Board
Amanda Crowfoot, Director, UK Research Office

The session will be broken down into two parts: the first part will focus on the EU's 7th Framework Programme (FP7), including the new European Research Council (ERC). An introduction to FP7 will be followed by a brief outline of the funding opportunities available in the 'Co-operation', 'People' and 'Capacities' parts of FP7. Organisations from outside Europe can participate throughout FP7 and this aspect of the programme will be highlighted. An overview of the ERC will also be covered and will include information on the funding schemes, and feedback from the first calls for proposals.

The second part of the session will outline the remit of and funding opportunities from EUREKA. EUREKA is a pan-European network for market-oriented, industrial R&D. It aims to enhance European competitiveness through its support to businesses, research centres and universities who carry out pan-European projects to develop innovative products, processes and services.

303: Good Practice in Internal Review

Jennifer Shambrook, Co-Director, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina
Steff Hazlehurst, Head of Research and Consultancy Services, Institute of Education, University of London

Winning research funding is becoming an increasing challenge for institutions worldwide with competition for limited funds growing all the time. However long-established and experienced they are in winning funding, research organisations need to find ways to increase their prospects of success in this environment. One approach which is widely accepted to be effective is the development of internal peer review of funding proposals before they are submitted to funders. This session examines the key features and functions of successful institutional peer review in different research organisations before going on to focus in detail on one particular model, the peer review group, an approach where each member of the group reads proposals individually before comparing notes and compiling a consensus feedback report to the proposer. The session will consider the conditions necessary to the success of such groups, including the training which may be required.

304: Ethical review in the Social Sciences: rebuilding the Tower of Babel?

David Hunter, Lecturer in Bioethics, Biomedical Sciences, University of Ulster
Dr Ron Iphofen, Lecturer in Medical Sociology and the Sociology of Health, School of Health Care Sciences, University of Wales Bangor

This session explores approaches to and management of ethical review in social science research with specific reference to the UK as well as the wider European context. The speakers will draw on recent developments within the UK (the ESRC Research Ethics Framework, for instance) contrasting them with the development of the NHS National Research Ethics Service. Recent developments within the EU to establish pan European standards for best practice in social science research will be presented and there will be opportunity to discuss pros and cons and exchange experiences.

305: Mentoring, or "how was it for you?" (panel discussion)

Simon Kerridge, Assistant Director (Research), Academic Services, University of Sunderland
Dr Mark Hochman, Director, Research and Innovation Services, University of South Australia
Lita Denny, Head of Research Operations, University of Manchester

This panel session is designed to give a practical insight into setting up a mentoring relationship, reflecting on experiences in different countries of the mentoring process itself, from both a mentor and a mentee perspective. Each member of the panel will give a short presentation to highlight some key points, and then the discussion will be opened up to the audience. The session will be of interest to those involved in a mentoring relationship and those interested in becoming involved.

306: The S-cubed factor: emerging self concepts, structures and strategies for the professionalisation of research administration

Dr Edward Gabriele, Director, Educational Development, Office of Research Integrity, US Department of Health and Human Services

This session will explore the fundamental identity of research administrators as it has evolved since the middle of the last century. The session will propose a proposed conceptual structure for research administration offices and departments. The session will also explore a series of continuing education "signature pedagogies", originally addressed in current educational studies from the Carnegie Foundation, that may assist the ongoing professional development of research administrators, their departments, and the institutions that they serve.

402: Research Facilitation - different models, different contexts

Prof Chris Marlin, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), Flinders University
Dr Andrew Fairweather-Tall, Humanities Division Research Co-ordinator, University of Oxford
Dr Chris Ballinger, Research Facilitator, Social Sciences Division, University of Oxford

This session explores the role of research facilitators, who encourage and support researchers in seeking external research funding. The nature, background and role of these research facilitators may vary, depending on the model used by a particular institution, influenced by its context (size, research strategy, national context, etc.). There are nonetheless some common issues for such models, including:

  • the backgrounds of research facilitators (have they been active researchers? are they administrators? do they come from industry?);
  • whether research facilitators work alone or as part of a team;
  • the training and development needs of these facilitators and how these vary from other staff;
  • different models of facilitation (e.g., working with individuals or helping to form teams);
  • the relationship between research facilitation models and institutional research strategy; and
  • the respective roles of the research facilitators and a central Research Office in a university.

403: Comparative case studies of the management and organisation of research support

Tim Quigg, Associate Chair for Administration and Finance, Department of Computer Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Kathy Heinze, General Manager, Contract Administration, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
David Langley, Director of Research and Enterprise Development, University of Bristol

This session will provide three examples of the review and re-organisation of research support offices. The three examples are University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the CSIRO, and Imperial College London, and will illustrate the isues and the different approaches that can be taken.

404: How research administrators can effectively and sensitively foster ethical, responsible research: experiences of three universities

Dr Michael Owen, Vice-President Research & Graduate Studies, Ontario College of Art & Design
Richard Hudson, Quality Assurance Manager, Research Office, University of Sheffield

The regulatory frameworks governing research continue to expand. One unintended outcome is that research ethics is increasingly perceived as contentious and frustrating; indeed as a block to innovative research. Furthermore, policy makers wrestle with how to effectively foster research integrity.

Many universities focus on compliance and risk. This session considers how universities can proactively, positively and sensitively promote values and behaviours in research practice that encourage responsible research. The speakers will discuss the approaches of institutions in Britain and Canada (strategies, resources, benefits, challenges, role of research offices, outcomes). The direction of the regulatory environment will also be discussed.

405: National and institutional policy perspectives on developing researchers

Dr Iain Cameron, Head of Careers and Diversity, Research Councils UK
Chris Hale, Policy Officer Universities UK
Prof. Laetus O.K. Lategan, Dean: Research and Development, Central University of Technology, Free State

The session will explore a variety of policy and practical issues for institutions, in respect of developing and supporting researchers, both within the UK and internationally. Key themes will include:

  • The demographic challenge - the supply of qualified researchers
  • International mobility and challenges for both emerging and developed research environments
  • Rise of the Tiger Economies
  • Training requirements definition
  • Lisbon and Bologna agendas in the context of the European Research Area
  • Building research capacity and capability, including international comparative perspectives
  • Examples of good practice and innovative approaches to 'whole career' research development for academic researchers, including provision for inter-sectoral mobility and links to knowledge transfer
  • Changing demands on PGR supervisors, with consequences for their training, including:
    • Changing nature of research - basic research versus applied research/blue-skies versus commercial/contract research (and consequences for research supervision)
    • Increasing emphasis on 'value-added' such as broader transferable skills
    • Changing supervisory practice
    • Different formats of research degrees

406: Striving for Excellence: Strategic Planning and Capacity Building in Research

Jane Hobson, Manager, Research Quality, Policy and Planning, Office of Research Services, University of Western Sydney
Mogodisheng Sekhwela, Research & Development Office, University of Botswana
Aldo Stoebel, Head of Internationalisation, University of the Free State

  • Theme(s): Policy and strategy
  • Target Audience: All (of particular relevance to new and emerging research organisations in any location)
  • Experience Level: Any

This session will examine the role of strategic planning and strategic management of research in developing and sustaining research excellence and capacity. Case studies will be presented from three very different universities working with a diverse set of policy and strategic challenges. The session will include a panel discussion.

407: Introduction to Knowledge Exchange

Susan Adams, Executive Officer, Allan Wilson Centre, Massey University
Dr Phil Clare, Associate Director, Research Services, University of Oxford

No longer is research undertaken purely for the sake of research; funding bodies are requiring engagement with stakeholder groups from the public to fellow researchers. Continued funding may rely on active knowledge exchange. Yet researchers are sometimes reluctant to converse with, and develop relationships with, stakeholders. This session will outline the current policy drivers for knowledge exchange in the UK and New Zealand, and will consider strategies to ensure effective knowledge exchange with all stakeholder groups.

408: Internal Marketing for Research Administrators

John O'Dowd, Senior Grants Manager, Research & Enterprise, University of Glasgow
William F Schweri, Director of Federal Relations, University of Kentucky

This session will examine how research administrators can evolve an internal marketing strategy that understands and takes account of diverse customer needs and ambitions, whilst addressing behaviours that tend to prioritise individual interests above cooperative behaviour within Higher Education Institutions. It will explore how to perform a Marketing Audit across a diverse customer base; to discover and value the institution's diversity and strengths, and address the weaknesses in your research community, by understanding the 'political economies' within which it operates; and to understand diverse operating environments. The role of internal marketing in defining and communicating a unifying internal economy will be discussed.

502: The auditor and the audited: reflections on quality assurance processes employed by Research Councils in the UK

Gareth MacDonald, RCUK Head of Assurance, Research Councils UK
UK university speaker to be confirmed

  • Theme(s): Systems and operations/Policy and strategy
  • Target Audience: Research administrators in departments and in central administration functions (of particular relevance to new and emerging research organisations in any location)
  • Experience Level: Intermediate

This session will give an overview of the UK Research Councils' current quality assurance processes (Funding Assurance Programme, formerly known as "Dipstick Testing") from the perspective of the Research Councils and an institution which has been visited. It will cover the accommodation of the recent implementation of "full economic costs" (fEC) requirements for Research Council funding in the UK. The session has been designed to accommodate an international audience.

503: Joint University/Hospital Research Support Offices

John Westensee, Director of Research Support, Aarhus University Hospital
Mary Perkins, Research and Development Manager, United Bristol Healthcare NHS Trust

Researchers in the medical sector in a given city or region, whether employed by a university or a hospital or even by both, very often cooperate across institutional boundaries. This also affects the kind of service they expect from the Research Support Office. It should be seamless and no matter where the researcher is based, they should receive the same level of support. Consequently, there might be a case for setting up joint hospital/university research support offices. This session will consider ways of cooperation explored in a UK survey on approaches to joint structures in the UK. Experiences from Denmark will cover issues like background for cooperation, structure of support organisation, decision-making structures, development over time, strengths, weaknesses and future development.

504: International Governance of Research Integrity: a comparative view

Dr Glyn Davies, Director of Policy and Resources and Deputy Chief Executive, Economic and Social Research Council
Dr Tina Boesz, Inspector General, National Science Foundation
Prof Ben Martin, Professor of Science and Technology Policy Studies, SPRU, University of Sussex

This session will include three presentations examining approaches to investigation of cases of research misconduct, drawing on examples from the UK, EU and USA.

In recent years, UK universities have established a range of internal codes designed to promote research integrity and prevent research misconduct. However, more recently there has been a school of thought that a body independent of universities, should be established to oversee matters relating to research integrity and to review the increase in reported cases of misconduct. The first presentation will examine this debate.

The second presentation will describe the US focus on responsible conduct of research and what steps are taken when plagiarism and data fabrication/falsification are suspected. Case study examples will be used to illustrate the process and the findings. A description of the goals and preliminary recommendations of a project being undertaken by the Global Science Forum of OECD, exploring how to investigate allegations of misconduct in international research collaborations, will also be presented.

Participants will also have the opportunity to hear of a recent case of serious research misconduct spanning the EU and the US and the particular issues and challenges that the investigation and its reporting posed to research integrity with reference to the US and the developing situation in the UK.

505: Career Development Options for Administrators

Guy Gregory, Personnel and Staff Development Director, University of Bristol
Sandra Nordahl CRA, Manager, Sponsored Research Administration, San Diego State University Research Foundation

The provision of effective support to the academic community in a cost effective way is a challenge in a modern university. Often traditional structures, roles and culture present a barrier. This session will consist of two parts. The first will explore how Bristol University is looking to overcome these barriers by releasing the energy, enthusiasm and professionalism within "communities" of support staff. The second will reflect upon experience from the United States of the Body of Knowledge as a personal growth tool and a resource for new administrators. Experience of the US Certified Research Administrator (CRA) programme will also be discussed.

506: Supporting Global Partnerships: the Research Manager's Role

Dr John Kirkland, Deputy Secretary General (Development), Association of Commonwealth Universities
Ann Anderson, Controller and Associate Vice President, University of Washington
Lawrie Robertson, Director of Finance and Administration, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of Washington
Additional speakers to be confirmed

This session will look at the administrative infrastructure challenges for research managers in supporting global partnerships with a particular focus on research collaboration with developing country institutions. The session will aim to bring together views from research administrators in the US, EU and a developing country and also include a donor perspective to highlight the issues, describe initiatives being undertaken and suggest potential good practice.

507: Mobilising the Knowledge Base: working across boundaries and institutions in urban regeneration

Oisin MacNamara, Director, Research, Regional and European Affairs, Northumbria University
Alex Williams, Associate Dean for Enterprise, School of Art & Design, University of Salford

  • Theme(s): Dissemination and translation of research
  • Target Audience: Managers of research & knowledge transfer, research development officers (of particular relevance to new and emerging research organisations in any location)
  • Experience Level: Any

This session will present a case study of a £3.2 million multi-institutional, multi-regional and interdisciplinary project, which mobilises academic expertise across a consortium to work with practitioners on key urban regeneration challenges. The dual aim is to enhance the impact of research carried out by the universities and also to build a long term strategic alliance between the four core university partners. This will lead to the development of a distinctive form of knowledge transfer, which is both teaching and research driven, in order to meet the needs of organisations and professionals in business and the community.

508: The Researcher as a Research Manager - a hybrid professional?

Richard Bond, Head of R&D, Research, Business & Innovation, University of the West of England
Dr Jo Cresswell, Research Manager, Academic Radiation Oncology, University of Manchester

Increasing numbers of staff with research experience are being recruited as research managers and administrators (in UK universities at least). This session will examine the role that experienced researchers can and do play in supporting research and enhancing research quality, with examples from two UK institutions. It will explore whether this trend constitutes the emergence of a new hybrid professional, or someone caught between two stools - neither a professional administrator nor an academic. What are the prospects for the development of these roles, what career paths are open to those in them, and how can we best harness their abilities?

602: Good Practice in Contract Development, Negotiation and Pricing

Dr Phil Clare, Associate Director, Research Services, University of Oxford

This session will look at key issues in the development, negotiating and acceptance of contracts for research and the protection of the university's interests. As well as examining common concerns such as publishing rights, pricing and payment arrangements, indemnities and warranties, confidentiality, intellectual property and termination arrangements, participants will discuss ways to identify 'make or break' issues and to decide when to negotiate on the detail of a contract, and when to advise a client of concerns which should be addressed in any future agreement between the parties. The right balance between in-depth negotiation, model agreements and standard processes will be considered.

Whilst many of the themes of the session will be of relevance in all jurisdictions, specific examples used in the session will draw on English law.

603: The challenges of running a Research Institute or Centre

Nigel Bilsbrough, Finance and Resources Manager, Centre for Research in Social Policy, Loughborough University
Mark Smith, Research Institute Manager, Institute for Science and Technology in Medicine, Keele University

It is increasingly common for universities to set up research institutes or centres as focal points for research activity, especially multi- or inter-disciplinary research. Such research institutes may be considered as academic departments in their own right, or may be more 'virtual' groupings crossing a number of departments. There are also many non-university research institutes, often in competition with universities for public research funding.

Research Administrators responsible for running such institutes face a range of challenges beyond those associated with day-to-day support of funded research projects. As well as routine departmental administration, from staff management to premises matters, these may include local policy interpretation and development, the challenges of overseeing the employment arrangements of a significant body of research staff, and the financial oversight of a varied portfolio of funded research.

The session will include presentations from two speakers responsible for running research institutes in different disciplinary areas, and will offer plenty of opportunity for participants to share their experiences and to identify examples of good practice.

604: Managing overseas ethics: a practical experience

Prof Bobbie Farsides, Professor of Clinical and Biomedical Ethics, Brighton and Sussex Medical School
Dr Melanie Newport, Reader in Infectious Diseases, Brighton and Sussex Medical School
Jimmy Whitworth, Head of International Activities, Wellcome Trust

This session will explore the issues and challenges of setting up and managing the ethical aspects of overseas clinical trials and other research studies. The speakers, who will include a Professor of Clinical and Biomedical Ethics, a Principal Investigator, and a major UK based funder of overseas research, will draw on a real case study based in Ethiopia to illustrate the particular issues discussed.

605: Evaluating and Assessing Research Outputs and Outcomes

Professor Ben Martin, Professor of Science and Technology Policy Studies, SPRU, University of Sussex
Briony Rayfield, Evaluation Advisor, The Wellcome Trust
Anne O'Neill, Research and Development Manager, Research and Development Office, The Children's Hospital at Westmead

This session considers how best to evaluate the economic, social and health benefits of research. As well as considering different methodologies that can be used to measure research outcomes including case studies and KPIs, participants will also learn how a funding body evaluates the research which it funds.

606: Science Policy Development in Europe, the US and Australia

William F Schweri, Director of Federal Relations, University of Kentucky
Campbell Warden, Executive Secretary, Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias
Bradley Smith, Executive Director, Federation of Australian Scientific and Technological Societies

This session will compare and contrast how science policy and funding is developed in the US, Europe and Australia. Understanding how science policy is developed and how subsequent funding decisions are made at the national level provides research managers with a crystal ball to predict future policy directions, funding opportunities and how their organisations can position themselves accordingly. Science & Technology Foresight is one of the tools used in policy formulation, and offers the possibility to involve many of the stakeholders in the process. The session will include, therefore, a discussion of the use of Foresight in policy formulation in a European context.

608: The funder and the funded: the lifecycle of a UK Research Council award

Kate Nimmo, Grants Manager, University of Glasgow
Kenna Bishop, Grants & Awards Manager, Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
Simon Kerridge, Assistant Director (Research), Academic Services, University of Sunderland
Dr Adam Staines, Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council

This session will look at the lifecycle of a research grant from inception to final report, highlighting some of the issues that commonly arise along the way. Particular reference will be made to the UK Research Councils and their electronic application/management system JeS (Joint Electronic System). The perspectives of administrators in the funding organisation and the funded organisation will be highlighted to provide a platform for an increase in mutual understanding and better working relationships. The session will conclude with an opportunity for Q&A with participants - numbers have been restricted to encourage in-depth and inclusive discussion.

See also: