a little help for big ideas
what we do
We help academics connect their research to the world beyond the academy through training, mentoring and support in areas such as knowledge exchange and impact, research communications, policy and community engagement, funding for co-production and impact, building effective partnerships, working with the media, and working across disciplinary boundaries, and more besides.
how we do it
training & development workshops
Our workshop events can be delivered in-person or online, we have a range of events, including:
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presentations on key skills such as working with the media and securing funding,
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conversation sessions where leading experts share their insights
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facilitated strategy sessions where research teams can develop their plans ​
support for research offices
Many of our activities are designed to be delivered in conjunction with university research and innovation offices. We often meet with RIO colleagues to discuss their needs and ways in which we can help them to help their academic colleagues.
We can also offer training and mentoring, as well as planning and development sessions to research office staff.
We are very happy to answer questions or discuss ideas, so why not get in touch?
consultancy, support & mentoring
We work with research teams, projects and centres to help them achieve their goals. We can provide hands-on support, consultancy and guidance, reviews of key documents, and mentoring on policy engagement, communications and funding strategies.
While we set out some approaches that have worked before on the consultancy page, we are very happy to discuss bespoke ways of working.
career panels for postgraduates
In addition to our training sessions, which are routinely attended by doctoral and other PGR students, we also arrange events for those considering careers outside the academy.
These are usually delivered online for a university or faculty, and feature a panel of research professionals from one of policy, industry or the third sector. Panellists share their own experience, some tips on getting hired and answer questions from the audience.
why we do it
Our motivation is pretty straightforward: We believe that the world is a better place when decisions are informed and shaped by rigorous, scholarly insight. That is the world we prefer to live in, and that is what we are working to bring about.
It can be easy for the 'building a better tomorrow' part to get drowned out by the demands of just getting through today. Our aim is to help academics and their colleagues acquire the skills, resources and strategies they need as quickly and painlessly as possible so they can focus on what they do best: producing new knowledge to reshape, reimagine and repair the world we all live in.