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Understanding how research at the OU works

Dr Dorothy Faulkner Associate Director, Academic Professional Development

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Structure of talk

• The external research funding environment

• Research leadership and organisation

• Support for doctoral research students

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Funding for university research

• Higher Education Funding Council

• The UK Research Councils

• The European Commission

• Charitable Organisations

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Research Assessment - RAE 2008

At the OU:• 87% of all research - ‘internationally recognised’ or better • 80%of research in Art and Design - ‘internationally

excellent’ or better• 70%of research in Earth and Environmental Science and

Computer Science - ‘internationally excellent’ or better• 100% of research in Computer Science & Art History -

‘internationally excellent’ or better• Art & Design was ranked third in the UK and

Development Studies ranked fourth

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OU Quality Research Funding

Strategic investment in central academic units, studentships, central research support services

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The Research Councils

• Arts and Humanities Research Council - AHRC• Biotechnology and Biological Sciences – BBSRC• Engineering and Physical Research Council - EPSRC• Economic and Social Research Council – ESRC• Medical Research Council – MRC• Natural Environment Research Council – NERC• Science & Technologies Facilities Council - STFC

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Research Leadership at the OU

• Martin Bean VC• Tim Blackman PVC

Research, Scholarship & Quality

• Astrid Wissenburg, Director RSQ

• Associate Deans and Directors (Research)

• Directors Research Degrees and EdD

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Open University Research Centres

• Citizenship, Identities and Governance CCIG

• Research in Education and Educational Technology CREET

• Research in Computing CRC

• OpenSpace Research Centre

• Physical and Environmental Sciences CEPSAR

• Biomedical Research Network BRN

• Innovation, Knowledge and Development IKD

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OU Faculties and Institutes• Science• Social Sciences• Health & Social Care• Education & Language

Studies• Institute of Educational

Technology• Business & Law• Arts• Mathematics, Computing

& Technology• Knowledge Media Institute

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Committee Structure

Research Committee

Research Degrees Human Research Ethics

Research Examination Results

Approval

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Central research support at the OU

The Research, Scholarship and Quality Unit looks after:

The Research Degrees Office manages:

• The Virtual Research Environment

• The research student registry and advice and guidance services to students

• Research degree policy and practice, regulations and QAA requirements

• Collaborations with The Affiliated Research Centres

• Institutional Quality Review• Funding for Research• Intellectual property & legal

agreements• Research Communications• Research data management• Research Degrees• Research performance &

REF• Research ethics

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Postgraduate policies, quality assurance and career development

• Research Councils UK – RCUK

• UK Council for Graduate Education

• Quality Assurance Agency

• Vitae

The Vitae Researcher Development Framework

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Doctoral researchers – vital statistics

• 1049 Total

• 757 OU

• 292 ARCs

• 361 FT OU

• 436 PT OU

Doctoral researchers

Arts

Business & Law

Soc Sci

Education

Life/Biomolecular

Computing/Sys-tems

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Research Council Doctoral Training Partnerships at The Open University

• Consortia for Humanities and the Arts South East – CHASE (AHRC)

• Design Star (AHRC)• Central England NERC

Training Alliance CENTA• South East Physics

Network – SEPnet (HEFCE)

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Affiliated Research Centres

British Antarctic Survey

Institutio Clinico Humanitas. Milan

MRC Unit, The Gambia

Mahidol, Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit

Royal Botanic Gardens,KewStowers Institute for Medical Research, MissouriTransport Research Laboratory. UK

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Support for you • Research Degrees office• Dedicated supervisory

teams• Virtual Research

Environment• World-class library• Subject specific and

generic skills training• Careers advice• Postgraduate student

society

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The Virtual Research Environment

Opportunities for doctoral researchers

The Postgraduate Internship ProgrammeThe Brilliant ClubThe Santander Entrepreneurship AwardsThe Santander Research and Scholarship Awards and Mobility Awards.

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