Workshop on Taxonomies of Research Impact

Universities and research funding bodies are increasingly expected to demonstrate the impact of research and knowledge on growth, economy, society and environment. Traditionally, most indicators have focused on publication output and economic benefits (e.g. numbers of spin-offs, patents, gross value added, jobs created). These are relatively straightforward to measure. It has turned out much trickier to answer, especially with facts and figures, how research programs and projects are bringing about broader societal benefits, such as policy advice, cultural change, community building or media influence.

This workshop aims at presenting a number of impact taxonomies, examining possible pathways and impact categories across stakeholders, sectors and institutions. In particular, the workshop explores work-in-progress and new approaches to impact assessment and classification systems as well as qualitative and quantitative methods for studying connectivity, linkages, interactions, and pathways between science and society. Drawing on recent attempts to evaluate the broader impact of research (e.g. UK Research Excellence Framework and the SIAMPI model), as well as recommendations from the European Commission High-Level Expert Group on Altmetrics, the workshop presents a comprehensive overview of the changing landscape of impact assessment.

List of confirmed speakers​

• Gunnar Sivertsen (NIFU Norway): The Norwegian Humanities Evaluation
• Diana Hicks (Georgia Institute of Technology): The Impact of Philosophy
• Jack Spaapen (The Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences): A Classification System for Humanities Research
• Paul Benneworth (University of Twente): Research Impact and Public Values
• Steven Hill (Higher Education Funding Council for England): The Road to REF21
• Thomas Alslev (Novo Nordic Foundation): The Impact Assessment Eco-System
• Leonie van Drooge (Rathenau Institute): Impact Values and Theories of Change
• René von Schomberg (European Commission). The Quest for Desirable Impacts
• David Budtz Pedersen (AAU): Responsible Impact in the Social Sciences and Humanities

The workshop is co-organised by Mapping the Public Value of Humanities (sponsored by the Velux Foundation) and Responsible Impact (sponsored by the Obel Family Foundation). The workshop gathers numerous stakeholders and representatives of organisations interested in impact assessment including staff from Department of Communication and Psychology, Aalborg University.

Practical information

The workshop takes place at The Royal Danish Library, “Den Sorte Diamant” on September 1, 2017 from 09:00 – 16:30 followed by a reception.

For more information contact the conference organizer David Budtz Pedersen (davidp@hum.aau.dk).

Registration is free but required. Please register by sending an email to Rúna Volmarsdottir Højgaard (runa@hum.aau.dk) no later than August 15, 2017.