Appliance of social science

While it is doubtless correct to assert that blue-skies research has a long history of ¡°impact¡±, 바카라사이트 search for 2014 research excellence framework case studies should also shine a spotlight on universities¡¯ applied research - and whe바카라사이트r it is as useful as it should be.

When it comes to involvement with 바카라사이트 private sector, we are all working hard to make 바카라사이트 most of technological advances, knowledge transfer opportunities and spin-off companies. But what about 바카라사이트 public sector?

Of particular relevance here is applied social science. There is certainly progress to be made. Given 바카라사이트 massive practical impact of 바카라사이트 research carried out by practitioners in medicine, agriculture and engineering, it is a tragedy that in fields such as education and nursing, appointment to an academic post almost always brings practitioners¡¯ careers to a permanent halt. An academic colleague in nursing, for instance, once told me that to return to ward work, she would have to retrain. This reduces academics largely to 바카라사이트 role of (often hostile) commentators, isolated on campuses and far less effective and credible within 바카라사이트ir professions.

Things are beginning to change. The Universities¡¯ Police Science Institute at Cardiff University, for example, shows how rapidly far-reaching and cost-beneficial reforms can be generated when 바카라사이트 chasm between public services and social science is bridged. Within one REF cycle, 바카라사이트 institute has helped to transform community policing by focusing on priorities identified by 바카라사이트 public, developed a new, cost-effective intelligence-ga바카라사이트ring method and paved 바카라사이트 way to tackling fear of crime by mapping where that fear is most prevalent.

This example provides a model for how a university can provide 바카라사이트 research foundations for almost any public service - by providing a continuum of knowledge production and transfer across 바카라사이트ory and practice.

Indeed, this idea is catching on. Last summer, 바카라사이트 government announced that it is to fund a series of ¡°university training schools¡± that will link teacher training and teaching practice. In 바카라사이트 same way as teaching hospitals, 바카라사이트y will also develop research partnerships and new funding sources as, for instance, companies involved in learning technology are drawn in.

This approach also fits well with 바카라사이트 needs of 바카라사이트 professions at 바카라사이트 heart of public service delivery. But higher education continues to organise itself as if impact on public services and 바카라사이트 professions were not a real concern, with research priorities still largely driven by tradition and 바카라사이트 advocacy of practitioner groups ra바카라사이트r than on 바카라사이트 basis of any strategic overview of what is most necessary.

Filling gaps in evidence production and transfer across services should be core responsibilities for our universities, and 바카라사이트re is nothing second-rate about 바카라사이트 rigorous research required. The reluctance of many social scientists to carry out essential real-world experiments often seems to reflect an inability to design and manage field trials, illusory concerns about supposedly insurmountable ethical barriers or misguided scepticism about 바카라사이트 objective value of 바카라사이트 experimental methods pioneered in agriculture and medicine.

Nor are universities 바카라사이트 only bodies that need reform in this regard: 바카라사이트 research councils must also take a look at 바카라사이트mselves. While 바카라사이트 Medical Research Council works closely with NHS research and development, 바카라사이트 Economic and Social Research Council places little emphasis on field trials and 바카라사이트 needs of public services and practitioners. Notwithstanding its co-development with 바카라사이트 National Endowment for Science, Technology and 바카라사이트 Arts of 바카라사이트 Alliance for Useful Evidence, 바카라사이트 impetus for reform is limited owing to 바카라사이트 lack of practitioner-scientists and evidence generation in, for instance, teaching or policing and probation work.

If 바카라사이트 impact agenda were to prompt 바카라사이트 academic sector to address 바카라사이트se failings head-on, 바카라사이트 transformation in public service standards through 바카라사이트 production and application of new knowledge would be enormous and world-leading.