What is research impact?
Research impact is the contribution that research makes to the economy, society, environment, or culture, beyond the contribution to academic research
Australian Research Council (ARC)
Research impact is an effect on, change, or benefit to the economy, society, and/or environment, beyond those contributions to academic knowledge
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO)
Research impact is the verifiable outcomes that research makes to knowledge, health, the economy, and/or society, and not the prospective or anticipated effects of the research. Impact is the effect of the research after it has been adopted, adapted for use, or used to inform further research. Research impact also includes research that leads to a decision not to use a particular diagnostic, treatment, or health policy
National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)
Why is research impact important?
Research impact ensures that the ultimate goals of research are maintained throughout the process, with early consideration and integration into planning to enhance the likelihood of connecting with your desired stakeholders and end-users. The increasing emphasis on impact brings research closer to desired audiences, preventing a disconnect between researchers and beneficiaries, and aligns with the expectations of funding bodies, providing a specific and measurable return on investment in a competitive research funding landscape. Researchers must integrate impact planning into the early stages of research project design, incorporating innovative communication strategies, and emphasising the development of more robust measures to evaluate the effectiveness of research dissemination and implementation beyond traditional metrics like altmetrics, publications, and citations.