UNE achieved outstanding results in the Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) assessment round in 2015, with 87% of our research fields rated at world standard or above.

With only about 18 months away from the next round, Research Services has started preparing for ERA 2018, which will look different to past rounds of research excellence assessment.

As a result of a recent Government Review of Research Policy and Funding Arrangements (the ‘Watt Review’ – recommendation 22), ERA 2018 will include a companion assessment on research engagement and impact. Consultation with stakeholders is continuing but it is envisaged that research engagement will be measured through data metrics while research impact will be measured based on assessing case studies.

Excelling in ERA 2018 will require a consolidated effort from the UNE community and you can assist in this process by stimulating discussion at various levels, on how we may better achieve engagement with our key stakeholders, how we measure engagement, what impact this has or potentially may have, and how our systems and databases may better capture such information.

Achieving research impact is embedded in UNE’s Research Plan 2016-2020 across a range of strategies. Central to this plan is our engagement in the creation, development and application of knowledge, with the key aim of influencing the future through excellence in research that impacts society. As an engaged university, we work to ensure that our research is relevant and responsive to the challenges facing us today and insightful towards the future needs of our society and communities at all levels.

Read more about our strategy on Research Engagement and Research Impact.

Professor Heiko Daniel

Pro Vice-Chancellor Research