From Arts to Zoology - RCUK Research Outcomes collection goes live | WPN World People News

Research Councils UK (RCUK) are the first research funders in Europe to implement a single system for gathering details of research outcomes across all research disciplines. The harmonised approach launched last week, with 30,000 RCUK funded researchers being invited to register with the new system over the coming weeks.

The Research Councils are now using Researchfish (opens n a new window) to collect structured information on the outcomes from all Research Council funded projects. Grant holders can highlight their achievements and, in turn, RCUK can use this information to better understand the impact of research funding, and strengthen the evidence base for research investment in the future.

Work to adapt Researchfish to include all research disciplines has proceeded rapidly, and the launch of the system for all RCUK funded researchers, ready for collection of outcome information in the Autumn, was completed on schedule.

Ian Lyne, from the Arts and Humanities Research Council, who is leading the cross-Council project, said: “Harmonising on a single system was an obvious step, but the Research Councils have also harmonised the framework for information across the full spectrum of academic disciplines, from the arts to zoology. This is a significant achievement by the Councils – and a European, if not global, first.”

Frances Buck, Director of Researchfish, said: “We were delighted to be selected by the Research Councils as the provider of their research outcomes collection system, and pleased that development of the system has proceeded so well.”

During 2015 RCUK will be working with Researchfish Ltd, and their User Group, to for greater efficiency in the national collection of information on the quality of UK research. This will include developing and implementing options of interoperability with the current research information systems used by Research Organisations (ROs).

Source: UK Arts and Humanities Research Council