The Learned Society of Wales have launched a new report that looks at examples of research in Welsh universities, and the effect that this research has beyond academia on our society and our way of living. King’s College London was commissioned to look at 280 case studies that were submitted to the Research Excellence Framework in 2021 in order to provide an overview not only of the types of research being undertaken but in order to analyse and quantify some of the key outputs emanating from this important work.
The result of this work is a report titled ‘The impacts of research from Welsh universities’ that charts the achievements of research work, and emphasises the ways it has a tangible effect on the lives of the people of Wales and beyond. You can also read the report titled ‘Making an Impact’ which is an abridged telling of some of the key findings of the work by King’s.
The report was jointly funded by The Higher Education Funding Council, the Welsh Government and Wales Innovation Network and shows several distinct tendencies in the research work conducted in Wales. Almost a quarter of the research that was analysed showed a positive impact on children and young people, with 25 different groups of people benefiting from research such as carers, the elderly and policy makers. According to the report, 70% of the research conducted has an effect within Wales, but also over 60% has an international effect in places such as Australia, China, Norway and Japan.
Professor Hywel Thomas, President of the Learned Society of Wales said:
‘This analysis underlines the monumental role of Welsh universities in fostering research and innovation and reshaping the fabric of society. Not only does it demonstrate the commitment and expertise of our academic community, but it also reflects LSW’s steadfast belief in knowledge’s transformative power to benefit Wales and beyond. As the UK looks forward to full association with the Horizon Europe programme, we are optimistic about the increased collaborative opportunities and the potential for even greater societal advancement in the future.’
For more information regarding the report, or to read the report in full, go to the Learned Society of Wales’s website.
