1

www.qmul.ac.uk

QUEEN MARY, UNIVERSITY OF LONDON

RESEARCHSTRATEGY2012-2015

2

Contents

Introduction

1: Focussing on our research strengths and promoting our research

2: Research performance and research funding

3: Development of researchers and research

5

6

8

10

4

The 2008 Research Assessment Exercise establishedQueen Mary, University of London as one of the risingstars among the research-intensive institutions in theUK and highlighted distinctive research strengths in all of our faculties. Our success has been marked by our entry into the Russell Group in 2012. We are nowdeveloping ambitious plans, outlined in this College-wide strategy, to consolidate, expand and extend ourresearch activities. This strategy is designed to helpcreate the highest-quality environment for researchersand research students, and to support researchpartnerships both within the College (including newinterdisciplinary, cross-faculty partnerships) andbeyond it. It expresses our commitment to thedevelopment of researchers at all stages of theircareers and should be read alongside the Queen Mary, University of London Strategic Plan 2010-15 and the individual Faculty Strategies

5

Introduction

6

1.1 We recognise that research quality dependson the individual enthusiasm, passion andcuriosity of our staff and that they requirethe time, appropriate facilities andencouragement to reach their highestresearch potential.

1.2 We will support research quality andresearch staff in a broad range of subjectsin all three faculties, continuing to invest inestablished areas of internationally leadingresearch as well as in emerging areas ofexcellence. (*Strategic Aim (SA) 1.1, 1.2,1.3, 1.6)

1.3We will do this by highlighting strategicresearch areas of established or emergingexcellence in all three faculties such ascancer, cardiology, globalization, histories ofculture, interrogating our heritage,governance and equalities, public health,the life sciences, materials, computationalbiology and bioengineering as well asthrough specialist interdisciplinary researchcentres. We will review these strategies andcentres annually to ensure an appropriatelevel of progress. (SA 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.6)

1.4We will develop a high level of publicvisibility for our research and its impact,ensuring broad awareness of the innovativework that we do across the College. We willprovide information in an accessible andexciting manner by highlighting both ourdisciplinary successes in fundamentalresearch and our cross-cuttinginterdisciplinary work which draws on thestrengths of individual researchers, schools,institutes and faculties. We will provide arolling programme of outward-facingpresentations on areas such as:

• QM2012 (our Olympics-related research)

• Healthy cities

• Securing the future

• Creative technologies

• Active citizenship

• Aging in the 21st century

• Mind and society

• New materials for the 21st century

• Policy and politics

These will be regularly reviewed andrevised. Faculties and schools/institutes willbe supported to ensure that they alsohighlight research successes that areappropriate for their audiences – these maybe more focused on disciplinary orfundamental research problems. (SA 1.1,1.2. 1.3, 1.6)

1.5We will embed public engagement activitiesacross all our research areas, train our earlycareer staff in public engagement skills,and develop and support Queen Mary’sCentre for Public Engagement to delivergreater public awareness of the differenceour research and researchers make to keyglobal problems. (SA 1.1, 1.3)

1.6We will continue to develop our researchprofile through our open access researchrepository in order to make our excellentresearch available freely to the widestpossible audience. (SA 2)

1: Focussing on our research strengths and promoting our research

*Please note:References to numbered Strategic Aims (SA) andEnabling Aims (EA) relate to the Queen Mary,University of London Strategic Plan 2010-15.

7

8

2.1We will appoint and retain excellentacademic staff with, or with the potentialfor, a strong publication profile and clearplans for attracting external funding and,where relevant, industrial and/or publicengagement. We will ensure that allresearch staff, regardless of race, genderand disability, have equal opportunities fordeveloping their research potential. Eachfaculty will develop mechanisms forcreating an appropriate workload and formonitoring, supporting and rewardingsuccess in publication, PhD supervisionand research funding application success.We will have clear policies for supportingsabbatical leave to encourage researchdevelopment. (SA 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.6, 1.7)

2.2We will provide mentorship or other formsof support systems for all academic staff atappropriate levels within the institution.This will include helping staff to identifyappropriate routes for publication, forresearch funding, any ethical implications,and the potential for the commercialisationand impact of their work. We will implementan internal peer-review process for all majorgrant applications. (SA 1.1, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5)

2.3We will return staff to the 2014 ResearchExcellence Framework (REF) where there isconfidence their publications will beassessed as being of the highest quality. Wewill use external expert advice in makingthese judgements and will adhere to ourcode of practice in making andcommunicating these decisions. (SA 1.6,1.7)

2.4Staff will get feedback on their researchperformance and support to develop andimprove where necessary. Staff whoperform exceptionally well in research willbe rewarded through the promotion andcontribution reward scheme. (SA 1.3, 1.4,1.6, 1.7)

2.5We consider that excellence in researchdepends on staff who are motivated andcommitted to integrity and ethicalbehaviour. We will regularly review our staffdevelopment and support in this area ofperformance as well as ensuring that wedeploy appropriate policies and proceduresfor research integrity and ethical behaviourin research. (SA 1.4, 1.5, 1.10)

2.6We will invest in dedicated professionalsupport for European Union fundingapplications and their delivery, targeting theappropriate themes of Frameworks 7 and8, Marie Curie and Erasmus Mundusschemes, as well as European ResearchCouncil opportunities. (SA 1.5)

2.7We will invest in supporting greater liaisonwith industrial, NGO and other partners. Wewill use CASE (Collaborative Awards inScience and Engineering), CDA(Collaborative Doctoral Awards) and otherforms of PhD co-supervision to strengthenour research portfolio and ensure that ourcontractual and IP agreements areappropriate for these relationships. (SA 1.5,1.10)

2.8We will work closely with UCLPartners andother partner NHS Trusts to deliver anddevelop research related to NHS priorities.We will work to increase patientparticipation in clinical trials across allmedical disciplines. (SA 1.5)

2.9We will build on and develop our keyresearch relationships with companies suchas Microsoft, Bosch, HP and Quintiles;NGOs such as the Intellectual PropertyInstitute and ArtsAdmin; major culturalinstitutions such as the Natural HistoryMuseum, Kew Gardens, V&A and theBritish Library; and with community groupssuch as London Citizens and AfroReggae.

We will also work with national andinternational research facilities such asCERN and ISIS. (SA 1.4, 2.10, 2.13,(Enabling Aim) EA 1.6)

2.10 We will promote the disclosure of inventions,grow income-generating licensingagreements and create spin-out companiesarising from Queen Mary and related Trustwork by supporting and rewarding this typeof activity through our promotionsprocesses and contribution reward scheme.(SA 2.9, 2.10, 2.11, 2.12)

2.11We will review and develop our IP andtechnology transfer policy to ensure that itprovides an appropriate incentive foracademic colleagues, protects the College’sinterests and enables the generation ofknowledge that is of benefit to the wider UKand international community. (SA 2.9, 2.11,2.12)

2.12We will expand our consultancy income byreviewing and implementing our policy onconsultancy to ensure that it meets bothacademic colleagues’ interests and theneeds of the College. We will ensure thatthe use of College facilities and services forprivate purposes is carefully monitored andthat academic colleagues recognise thevalue of working within the College policyon consultancy. (SA 2.13)

2: Research performance and research funding

9

10

The Octagon

3.1 We will deliver the Concordat to Support theDevelopment of Researchers by 2012 byagreeing mechanisms for appointment,mentorship and bridging funding to ensurethat research careers at Queen Mary areappropriately developmental (SA 1.8, 1.9)and engage with the Equality ChallengeUnit, Vitae and other national bodies indeveloping and implementing our policiesin equalities and diversity for researchers.(EA 1, 1.3)

3.2We will retain our Athena Bronze award andachieve an Athena Silver award in at leastfour schools/institutes by 2014. (EA 1.3,1.4)

3.3We will achieve the European HR Badge ofExcellence in Research by 2013. (SA 1.3,1.3)

3.4We will use our IT transformation project toprovide a high quality IT infrastructure thatsupports the development and delivery of21st Century research including securedata storage, a database repository, and ourrequirements for high performancecomputing. (EA 2.5)

3.5We will embed research grant preparationand researcher development for all newstaff who require such support in ouracademic development programmes by2012. (SA 1.6, 1.8, 1.9)

3.6We will sustain and develop our ResearchCouncil-funded partnership arrangementsthrough successful Economic and SocialResearch Council (ESRC), Arts &Humanities Research Council (AHRC) andEngineering and Physical SciencesResearch Council (EPSRC) block grantsand doctoral training centres. We willanticipate Research Councils UK (RCUK)

calls for doctoral training by developinginternal training centres in strategic areas.(SA 1.4, 1.10)

3.7We will comply with the Quality AssuranceAgency (QAA) code of practice for researchdegree programmes and deliver anappropriate compulsory postgraduateresearch skills training programme for allour doctoral candidates, including supportfor employability by 2012. (SA 1.10)

3.8We will provide high-quality supervisiontraining for new staff and offer regularrefresher sessions for existing staff. (SA1.10)

3.9We will have a PhD submission rate of 85per cent across all three faculties by 2015,using our progression and annual monitoringprocesses to identify and support studentswho are facing difficulties. (SA 1.10)

3.10We will develop attractive postgraduateresearch recruitment and support packagesfor the highest quality Home/EU andInternational applicants by 2012. (SA 1.10)

3.11We will provide high-quality work and socialspace for all our postgraduate researchstudents, either at school/institute/faculty-or College-level by 2015. (EA 2.6)

3: Development of researchers and research students

11

www.qmul.ac.uk

For further information contact:Queen Mary, University of LondonMile End RoadLondon, E1 4NSTel: +44 (0)20 7882 8901email: vp-res@qmul.ac.uk

Pub9047The information given in this publication is correct at thetime of going to press (Mar 2012). The College reserves

the right to modify or cancel any statement in it andaccepts no responsibility for the consequences of any such

changes.

Any section of this publication is available upon request inaccessible formats (large print, audio, etc.). For further

information and assistance, please contact: DiversitySpecialist, hr-equality@qmul.ac.uk, 020 7882 5585