Otago Polytechnic/Developing a Research and Enterprise Strategy at OP/Objectives expanded

Expanded explanation/ description of our objectives:

Our Objectives are driven by the overall OP Strategic Priorities.

NOTE: It is important that for every aspiration, we have a means of measuring our success in achieving it. (eg. "To increase the proportion of research active staff and the quality of research outputs", a measure would be to monitor what proportion of staff are research active and how many outputs and QA outputs they achieve- we might also consider the outcomes of those outputs- ie what effect they can be seen/measured to have had on our communities)

(further editing needed - in italics)

What are our aspirations?
= 1. To lead our sector in the achievement of educational excellence =


 * To increase the proportion of research active staff
 * To increase the quality of research outputs
 * To increase the number of research and enterprise activities that are multidisciplinary
 * To have research and enterprise activities that inspire staff to develop their own expertise
 * To have research and enterprise activities that support our academic programmes directly
 * To have research and enterprise activities that are directly relevant to our communities (Business, Industry, Government Departments, Local Government, Iwi, the professions and the community and voluntary sector )

How will we know we have been successful? (examples)

 * Monitor the number of publications year on year and school by school
 * Monitor the increase in QA outputs as above (but, also monitor the outcomes of research activity)
 * monitor the increase in number of multidisciplinary projects and research outputs and outcomes
 * number of staff engaged in applied research activities increases year on year (does this mean they are inspired??) how do you measure that?
 * monitor the frequency of student project based learning activities by programme (assume relevance??) - coudl make use of Sam/ Richard "Research and Enterprise model)
 * regular survey of communities to ensure direction and intent match needs (- who and what about?)
 * communities approach us (how often/ what about?)

What will we do to achieve these aspirations?

 * support staff ...
 * (committee... please fill in what support is needed to achive our aspirations as measured above???)
 * develop an understanding of the research methodologies appropriate for and relevant to learning and research in the workplace
 * align ourselves with current practice in workplace and work-base learning as a "disciplianry ' field in its own right
 * align ourselves with other institutions such as Middlesex who have already engaged int hese kinds of pursuits
 * develop matrices for the generation of projects useing appropriate research methiodologies
 * COReS Post grad scholarships for targeted reseach that support their research programmes
 * Inspire more students to undertake post grad research

= 2. To achieve the highest level of confidence from our communities, anticipating and exceeding their expectations =


 * To have research and enterprise activities that are directly relevant to our communities-(including Kai Tahu/Maori, Business, Industry, Goverment Depts., local government, Iwi, the professions and the community and voluntary sector)
 * To have research and enterprise activities that enable engagement and collaboration - between learners, staff and the communities we serve
 * To have research and enterprise activities which are accessible to learners, staff and our communities
 * to have research and development activities that are future focussed and informative.

How will we know we have been successful? (examples)

 * We will monitor the number of project collaborations at each level with community members and groups
 * monitor where projects are intitiated ( by whom?)
 * monitor the multidisciplinarity of projects, including interdisciplinarity and comunity /business involvement
 * monitor teh number asnd proportion of projects including community, student and staff partners
 * monitor the achievement of practical outcomes from projects at learner, staff and community levels.
 * Increase in the number of open events and conferences held, and range of community groups engaged.

What will we do to achieve these aspirations?

 * support staff ...
 * Disseminate research to communites - marketing plan, use our current publications, whats on advert
 * Staff encouraged to engage with trade publications and conferences as well as academic (can have 2 versions of research publication)
 * Lead research collaborations across institutions see CSAFE http://www.csafe.org.nz/relationships
 * More events on engaging OP staff with communities such as one day Symposium (e.g. Art &amp; Law, Art &amp; Medicine, Physical Conditioning, Ageing, Biodesiel Symposium were all held in 2010-2011) http://www.otagopolytechnic.ac.nz/schools-departments/art/news-and-reviews/art-in-medicine-symposium.html http://www.otagopolytechnic.ac.nz/fileadmin/DepartmentalResources/Academic/SportsInstituteAndAdventure/PDFs/Physical_Conditioning_Symposium.pdf http://gerontology.org.nz/south-island-symposium-on-ageing-2 http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/news/4162773/Biodiesel-pilot-programme-hailed-as-sustainable-success
 * More ongoing relationships such as the Community Research Forum http://www.councilofsocialservices.org.nz/the-dunedin-community-research-forum/
 * More community collaborative projects such as Simpa http://www.otagopolytechnic.ac.nz/about/projects-conferences/simpa.html
 * Look for opportunities to involve communities with OP staff and students e.g. Bring in experts from our communities to talk to us - speaker series - encouraging 'knowledge transfer both ways' Like School of Art Seminar Series
 * Hold more conferences at OP
 * Ask communities what they want researched

= 3. To be financially Sustainable =


 * To have research and enterprise activities which provide an income stream to the polytechnic

How will we know we have been successful? (examples)

 * We increase our external research income
 * Financial returns are x% of OP turnover
 * increase community facing activities year on year.
 * engage in commercial community facing activities (that return income)
 * students express high levels of satisfaction with our programes, in assisting them to develop their connections to communities - 
 * staff become better connected to communities and more staff are able to engage in current income producing activities (need a measure eg number or value of callaborative projects increases)
 * communities view OP as a viable business partner in relation to problem solving activities (what is the measure?)
 * PBRF; Quality, RDC and ERI increase annually
 * CoREs are given funding targets on a graduating basis - (e.g. 1st year 10%, 2nd year 20% etc or by $'s income)
 * Increase research related income generating activities held at OP such as Conferences and fee for service events

What will we do to achieve this aspiration?
(- This section to be fleshed out - this becomes our structure)


 * support staff to develop their R&amp;E development activities - how?
 * support schools in developing community connections - how?
 * provide good practice guidelines for staff to facilitate engaging with our business, industry and professional communities
 * support staff to maintain currency in their specialist field and connections with relevant industry, profession and communities
 * encourage staff to design and plan opportunities for learners to participate in research and to learn skills which will enhance connections
 * support staff by developing multidisciplinary group R&amp;E activities
 * collaborate with commuinty (industry, business etc) on commercial development opportunities
 * assist companies to submit MSI tech transfer voucher scheme applications
 * create multidiciplinary group to work with companies on improving their business practices
 * develop and expand studnet project opportunities to work with commercial projects (that bring a return to OP)
 * develop a reputation as business enablers through graduate outcomes
 * how else?
 * Maximise PBRF funding annually via RDC and ERI - increase the number of research degree completions and research income - ensure new post grad course meet PBRF RDC compliance for VRF (volume of research factor)
 * Utilise funding schemes to bring in research capability (eg Rutherford Fellowship through the Royal Society should that still exist after its current review)
 * COReS be required to develop programmes of research (more attractive to traditional research funders) that include projects that meet funders priorities eg MSI, Marsden, HRC, AKO etc and develop programmes of research that are multifaceted including student research
 * Ensure our overheads are costed in every externally funded project where possible
 * Get industry to sponsor research scholarships with the payoff they do research they are interested in - or on a larger scale and an endowment fund for applied research (like the Todd Foundation Awards for Excellence but controlled by OP) - maybe in conjunction with the Chamber of Commerce, Rotary or similar organisation
 * Apply for more funding - practice makes perfect!
 * Train CORe co-ordinators in grantspersonship and contract managment so they understand the processes and accountabilities of applying for and managing external funding
 * Develop a Conference management office (talk to Marketing and Campus environment) - to host conferences (incl. Trade or Professional conferences as this will also help with linkages) in the holidays - any profits go back into research

= 4. To lead our sector as a socially responsible and sustainable organisation =


 * To have research and enterprise activities which are socially responsible and sustainable
 * To have research and enterprise activities that develop sustainability capability of staff and students in their discipline (needs rewording!!)_

How will we know we have been successful? (examples)

 * (100% )of projects vetted by the ethics committee have been accepted as socially responsible and sustainable.(- woudl this mean 100% of projects shoudl go to ethics committee?)
 * how do we measure this?
 * workplaces generate new projects in dialogue

What will we do to achieve these aspirations?

 * 100% of projects will be vetted by the ethics committee ( i think this is practically that 100% of eth projects vetted are judged to be responsibel and sustainabel?)
 * guidelines for the development of relevant and academically sound projects will be developed using workplace learning methdologies
 * professional development for staff around metacognitive skills
 * a well-resourced support dossier of case studies
 * well-prepapred presentations to industries /workplaces
 * extremely careful supervision of intitial projects and frequent moderation