Research & Innovation Committee

• To provide assurance to Council and Senate about the quality of the College’s RKEI environment and activity.
• To provide assurance to Council and Senate about the development and implementation of the College’s RKEI Strategy.
• To monitor, review and support the College’s progress towards meeting the RKEI objectives in the College’s Strategic Plan and its RKEI Strategy; review and agree the reporting template for key RKEI performance indicators, to ensure it remains consistent, up-to-date and a means of supporting high quality RKEI activity and standards; and receive regular reports from the Deans, Research Centre Directors and Director of InnovationRCA on their progress in delivering their own RKEI strategies against the agreed RKEI reporting template.
• To monitor, review and support high standards in the College’s doctoral programmes, including in supervision and training and development opportunities for doctoral students, and oversee the effective provision of funding for doctoral students.
• To monitor, review and support good practice in supporting the research career development of staff at all career stages in RCA schools and research centres.
• To monitor, review and support good practice and regulatory compliance in research, including research integrity, research ethics, open access to research, and research data management.
• To monitor and support the production and dissemination of high-quality research outputs and demonstrable impacts arising from research.
• To monitor and support the preparation of the College’s submissions to REF, KEF, HEBCI and other national assessment and reporting frameworks.
• To monitor, review and support the generation of a healthy pipeline of research grant proposals and KE proposals, and progress against College RKE income targets, including both internal College research funds and external funds
• To monitor, review and support major RKE collaborations and partnerships (including across the RCA, with other HEIs in the UK and abroad; doctoral training centres; major KE collaborations).
• To monitor, review and support the College’s activity in Executive Education, research consultancy and research commercialisation to deliver the College’s income targets and the performance of and support for its start-ups and spin-outs.
• To provide assurance that the College is operating effective systems and processes for RKEI management information, including effective approaches to statutory reporting and compliance in research (including REF preparation, KEF preparation, HEBCI reporting, HEIF, QR, Open Access, doctoral submission rates, UKRI grants etc.).
• To undertake and review horizon scanning and networking opportunities to ensure the College’s RKEI activity and infrastructure is well prepared to capitalise on future funding and partnership opportunities, to meet external challenges, and to respond to changes in relevant UK Government policies and agendas.
• To ensure the RCA’s voice has influence in the wider research and innovation sector, in art and design disciplines, and with business, industry and policymakers, both nationally and internationally.

Frequency of meetings: A minimum of 3 per annum
ToR last reviewed: 16 October 2024

Ex-officio

Dr Emma Wakelin, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Research & Innovation (Chair)
Professor Ken Neil, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Academic (or a nominee)
Dr Nadia Danhash, Director of InnovationRCA (or a nominee)
Amanda White, Chief Finance Officer (or a nominee)
Paula Bruton, Director of People & Culture (or a nominee)
Rebecca Preston, Director of Advancement and Alumni (or a nominee)

Co-opted

Professor Chantal Faust, Interim Dean, School of Art & Humanities
Kerry Curtis, Dean, School of Communication
Professor Sharon Baurley, Director of Material Science Research Centre
Dr Melanie Flory, Associate Director of Research, The Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design

In attendance

Stephen Boyd Davis, Research Lead, School of Design
Anne Toomey, Head of Programme, School of Design
Susan Hamilton, Head of Research Development
Dr Hala Mansour, Head of Doctoral Programmes
Tatiana Schofield, Head of Knowledge Exchange
Peter Christian, Head of Executive Education
Vimal Shah, Head of Research Centres (maternity cover)
Michelle Jensen, RKE General Manager
Kit Denison, RKE Administrator (Secretary)

Co-opted members of academic staff will serve on the committee for a maximum term of three years. The membership of the two Deans of School rotates at an interval that balances membership of R&I Committee with membership of Academic Standards Committee.

A Representative PGR student will be invited to attend meetings where relevant items are being discussed.

A meeting will be considered quorate if 50% of the ex-officio and co-opted members are present. Staff who attend meetings but are not formally members of the Committee will not count in any assessment of quoracy.