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Building Impact into Social Science Research was funded by vitae innovate fund applied for and successfully awarded to Professor Richard Thorpe and Dr Paul Ellwood. The event was supported by the Staff and Departmental Development Unit at Leeds. Much of the following text formed part of a proposal to Vitae written by Paul Ellwood and Richard Thorpe, with summary and context written by Jenn Chubb at the University of York. This Vitae Innovate funded project enabled the development of a module to be integrated into postgraduate training programmes – it contained both concepts and practical tools aimed at helping students understand and connect with aspects related to the impact of social science research. The Innovate fund supported a two day Leeds University Business School course entitled Building Impact into Social Science Research followed by a two day Social Science- wide White Rose residential event at Bodington Hall with input from academics reporting on the impact of their research and interactive group work activities. Building Impact into Social Science Research aimed to provide an introduction to this increasingly important aspect of a researcher’s life. Through a mixture of presentations, specialist speakers and practical exercises, the workshop provided a grounding in the emerging UK policy environment, appropriate research design and practical engagement mechanisms with research stakeholders.

The project aimed to train postgraduate students in public communication of science by providing hands-on experience of National Science Week talks

A four-day annual course for postgraduate research students and postdoctoral researchers on enterprise and commercialisation. The course is very practical and is focused on ensuring that students are aware of the issues associated with academic practice and its relationship with academic entrepreneurship.

A one day event involving a talk by an external speaker from the NHS on how to make effective presentations and feedback from the speaker on research students’ presentations.

Workshops for postgraduate research students to develop the skills required for success in the academic job market. The sessions had a particular focus on presentation skills and writing academic papers.

An initiative to provide cross-disciplinary support on theoretical, methodological and ethical concerns enabling PGRs to share experiences, develop their skills as researchers and network widely within and beyond the University.