Science policy/Guide to research and engagement funding in the United Kingdom

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Guide to Research and Engagement Funding in the UK[edit | edit source]

1.0 Introduction

Welcome to Wikiversity's Guide to Research and Engagement Funding in the UK. Here you will find out about the main institutions and mechanisms involved in UK research and engagement or knowledge transfer.

By research, we mean academic activity across the full range of disciplines from science, engineering, technology and medicine to the arts and humanities. By engagement, we mean activities which involve academics at all levels (from students to professors) interacting with individuals and communities who do not currently have a formal relationship with higher education institutions [1] This might include, for example, particular groups of young people, policymakers, small businesses or charities. We often use the term 'knowledge transfer' to describe engagement with business communities, although more recently knowledge transfer is used to describe interactions with not-for-profit groups (social enterprises) as well. For example, the recently formed Research Councils UK 'Knowledge Transfer and Economic Impact Group' is concerned not only with economic impact, but also social benefits of research. [2] The Arts and Humanities Research Council defines knowledge transfer as delivering economic, social and cultural benefits, and includes business, public and voluntary sectors.[3]

You can use this guide to find out more about how research is organised in the UK, and the mechanisms used to stimulate engagement between academia and other communities, for the benefit of all communities in the UK and beyond.


  1. ↑ HEFCE (2006) HEFCE Special Initiative: "Beacons for Public Engagement", document 2006/49, available at http://www.hefce.ac.uk/Pubs/HEFCE/2006/06_49/
  2. ↑ RCUK (2007) About the Knowledge Transfer and Economic Impact Group available at http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/aboutrcuk/executivegroup/subgroups/ktgroup.htm
  3. ↑ AHRC (2007) Knowledge Transfer in the Arts and Humanities, available at http://www.ahrc.ac.uk/about/ke/knowledge.asp
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