Terms of Reference – Research and Knowledge Exchange Committee

Context

The Research and Knowledge Exchange Committee exists to develop, oversee, and implement the institutional research and knowledge exchange strategy. To actively grow research and knowledge exchange (including public engagement and enterprise) and to ensure compliance with external regulations and requirements.

Terms of Reference

1. Develop and implement the institutional research and knowledge exchange strategy.
2. Monitor, review and measure progress and impact against the institutional research and knowledge exchange strategy.
3. Oversee the development and implementation of policies and procedures for the management, compliance and integrity of research and knowledge exchange.
4. Oversee planning and preparation for REF, RDAP and UKRI eligibility.
5. Initiate and oversee the development of postgraduate research programmes (e.g. PhD’s with a validation partner).
6. Actively develop and monitor research and knowledge exchange collaborations, including interdisciplinary partnerships, with external partners.
7. Initiate and oversee the creation of a researcher development programme (with the Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs).
8. Receive reports on faculty research metrics and make recommendations.
9. Receive reports from the research ethics committee to ensure compliance with external regulations and best practice.
10. Receive reports from research services to ensure compliance with external regulations and to monitor research activity.
11. Receive reports from finance to monitor budgets and to track grants so as to be able to report externally as required.
12. Receive reports from Northeastern SVPR on research and knowledge exchange opportunities.
13. Identify new internal and external research and knowledge exchange opportunities for growth.
14. Oversee and make strategic decisions on institutional bids for research and knowledge exchange funding, including Tier 1 proposals. 
15. Promote research and knowledge exchange activities to internal and external audiences.
16. Agree institutional responses to external research and knowledge exchange consultations.
17. Provide reports to the Academic Board, including the annual research and knowledge exchange report.
18. Ensure equality, diversity and inclusivity in the committee’s conduct, decision making and recommendations and in the University’s research and knowledge exchange activities.
19. Identify educational opportunities from the University’s research and knowledge exchange activities.

Membership

Associate Dean for Research and Knowledge Exchange 

Faculty Research Officers (one per Faculty)

Research Priority Area Leads (one per research priority area)

Head of Research Services

Research Ethics Committee Chair

ExCo Representative

Quorum

Meetings are quorate when the Chair (or alternate Chair) and 50% of the members are present.

Frequency of Meetings

Meetings are held on a quarterly basis

Reports to

Academic Board

Reports from

Research Ethics Committee

Research Services

Faculty Research Officers

Research Priority Area Leads

Rolling Agenda Items

• Report on Faculty research and knowledge exchange activity: outputs, collaborations, public engagement, impact and research funding
• Report on Research Priority Area activity: successes, challenges and vision
• Report on research funding applications, awards and success rates
• Report from the ethics committee
• Report on compliance with external regulations and requirements