Research Impact

What's on this page?

The CMVM Research Office, in consultation with a range of researchers and professional services colleagues, developed a Research Impact Strategy to bring together and guide impact activities across the College. On this page, you will be able to explore the resources and training available to support and maximise your impact activities.

If you require the strategy document in a different format, please contact us at: CMVMImpact@ed.ac.uk

What do we mean by research impact?

At the College, we define research impact as the difference that research makes to society by, for example:

• Enhancing health and quality of life of people and animals;
• Protecting or improving the environment;
• Informing local, national or international policy or guidelines to improve processes and outcomes;
• Improving the effectiveness of public policy and services; and
• Creating prosperity, reducing costs, saving resources or preventing harm.

How is research impact achieved? 

Researchers build partnerships and make connections with stakeholders to inform and apply their research, such as industry partners, clinicians, patients, policymakers, charities or the general population. These connections are essential when it comes to making a difference to society through research.

Thus, activities such as innovation, commercialisation, patient-public involvement, public and policy engagement, knowledge exchange and media communications work are all routes that can amplify the impact of your research; impact, in turn, is the actual change these activities create.

Explore the headings below to access specific training and resources available for achieving different kinds of impact, as well as best practices for sharing your research outputs with partners and stakeholders.

Explore some impact case studies from across the College and University

Edinburgh Impact is the home for stories about how the University community is making its mark upon the world through its research, innovation, ideas and actions.

Edinburgh Impact

Edinburgh Innovations is the University of Edinburgh’s commercialisation service. Here is a list of EI supported projects that are making a positive contribution to society and the economy.

Edinburgh Innovations case studies

REF is the UK's national assessment of research excellence in higher education institutions. You can look at the impact case studies submitted by Higher Education institutions in different subject areas to REF2021.

REF2021 Impact case study database