Research update from Professor Neil Crout

I would like to share highlights from the year and look ahead to 2023 as we will build on progress, with a focus on the support available to our research community.

I also wish to acknowledge the support and dedication of everyone contributing to research at the University of Nottingham.

REF and KEF: congratulations and thank you Our results from the 2021 Research Excellence Framework – published in May – reaffirmed Nottingham as one of the country’s leading research institutions. We maintained our overall research power while improving our GPA position, in particular making a notable improvement in outputs assessment.

I am grateful to colleagues who made our submission possible and helped deliver our very good set of results. Meanwhile, the latest Knowledge Exchange Framework confirmed us as one of England’s leading universities for working collaboratively with industry and the public sector. Our partnerships with industry roll out our innovations and help secure sustainable, skilled economies. We are in the top 10% of universities working with business and 8th in the country for research with industry.

Delivering our renewed research strategy In 2022 we renewed our research strategy until 2027, underpinning our commitment to addressing strategic and global challenges while planning for the unexpected. The aim is to support our researchers to undertake the highest quality of work.

Strengthening support for academics Changes in Research and Innovation are designed to strengthen support to academics and allow us to be more agile – anticipating funding opportunities and focused in response to the societal challenges at home and abroad.

Researcher development The Researcher Academy leads an exceptional programme of training and development, at all stages including our research leadership programmes.

You don’t need to take my word for it, BBSRC highlighted our focus on wellbeing in the 2022 Postgraduate Research Student (PGR) induction programme as best practice. The training and development programme for 2023 will continue to focus on inclusivity, with all researchers able to access courses/programmes ranging from fundamentals to data skills, peer mentoring and engaging with policymakers.

Leadership programmes for post-docs, early career researchers and research leaders are also available.

I would like to join Professor Lucy Donaldson, APVC for the Researcher Academy, in acknowledging the tremendous and tireless support given to PGRs by supervisors and many others in schools, faculties and the Researcher Academy.

All this activity in support of research could not be delivered without the dedication and goodwill of thousands of colleagues across our university. Thank you.

I wish you, your loved ones and family a restful winter break. Read Professor Crout’s full update

With very best wishes,

Professor Neil Crout
Interim Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Knowledge Exchange