RESEARCH AND ENTERPRISE COMMITTEE

Minutes for the sixth meeting of the Research & Enterprise Committee in the 2012/13 Academic Session, held on Wednesday 10th July 2013, 2.00pm in QA075, Greenwich Campus

PRESENT:

Prof T Barnes / Chair
Prof A Reed / Vice Chair & Director of Postgraduate Research
Ms T Banton / Research Support Manager/REF Manager
Prof A Benati / Director of Research & Enterprise (HSS)
Prof C Bellamy / Director of Research & Enterprise (GMI)
Prof C Bailey / Director of Enterprise (CMS)
Prof B Chowdhry / School Representative (SCI)
Dr M Davies / Director of Research & Enterprise (GRE)
Prof D Isaac / Director of Research & Enterprise (A&C)
Prof J Jameson / Director of Enterprise (EDU)
Prof A Lambirth / Director of Research (EDU)
Ms C Nyandoro-Kunzvi / Secretary (GRE)
Mr Jon Sibson / Pro Vice Chancellor (BUS)
Prof J Morton / Director of Enterprise (NRI)
Prof S Thomas / Director of Research (BUS)
Prof E West / Director of Research & Enterprise (HSC)
Mr J Wallace / Administrative Secretary (Vice Chancellor’s Office)
Dr S Woodhead / Director of Research & Enterprise (ENG)

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Prof C Birch / Director of Enterprise (BUS)
Dr J Orchard / Director of Research (NRI)
Mrs W Curran / Finance Manager (Finance)
Prof E Galea / Director of Research (CMS)
Prof P Maras / ECR Director
Prof S Wicks / Director of Research (SCI)
Dr D Wray / Director of Enterprise (SCI)

1.  MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING

REC-12-1.1. / MINUTES OF THE FIFTH MEETING OF THE RESEARCH AND ENTERPRISE COMMITTEE HELD IN 2012/13 ON THE 3RD JUNE 2013.
The minutes of the Research and Enterprise Committee held on 3rd June 2013 were agreed by the Committee as a true and accurate record of the meeting.

2.  MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES

REC-12-2.1. / There were no matters arising from the previous minutes.

3. GREENWICH RESEARCH AND ENTERPRISE

REC-12-3.1 / RESEARCH AND ENTERPRISE FINANCIAL ACTIVITY REPORTS
The Committee noted the Research and Enterprise Financial Activity report to the end of May 2013.
Revenues to the end of May 2013 were £12.3m (including NRI). NRI revenue figures were at £6.3.m and Schools at £6m, an increase of £1.4m (13%) compared with the same period last year. The year-end forecast for revenues was £15.5m reflecting a 10% increase on last year’s figures.
Contracting to the end of May 2013 was at £16m, of which NRI was at £7.7m and the Schools at £8.3m, an increase of £1.6m (12%) compared with the same period last year. The Chair was pleased to announce that the School contracting levels were at their highest to date and that May’s contracting figures were now equal to last year’s total contracting for the university.
Contracting compared to money burn indicated continuing growth recorded at £16m (including NRI). GUEL revenues to end May 2013 were £1.1m.
REC-12-3.2 / RESEARCH AND ENTERPRISE BIDDING ACTIVITY REPORT
The Committee noted the Research and Enterprise Bidding Activity report to the end of April 2013.
Bidding totals to the end of April 2013 (including NRI) were £28m. NRI bidding totals were at £8.9m and Schools at £19.5m. Average bidding values continued to rise as evidenced by 260 bids at £109k to the end of April 2013 in comparison to the same period last year where the average value of 237 bids was £108k.
Awarded totals to the end of April 2013 were recorded at £13.9m (including NRI) of which £3.5m had been submitted in 2011/12 and announced in 2012/13. Awards by funding source were 34% from the EU, 38% from the overseas funders, 3% from the UK Centre Government & TSB, 6% from the UK Industry, 9% from UK Research Councils, 8% from European Research councils and 2% from Charities.
REC-12-3.3 / REF 2014 UPDATE
The REF Manager presented a report on data that had been uploaded to the live REF system. REF3 and REF5 data had been forwarded to GRE by all UoAs and had been successfully uploaded to the REF system.
Case studies for REF3 and REF3b were being forwarded to the REF team and Hester Brown was reviewing and editing the case studies prior to them being uploaded to the REF system. The REF Manager had set up meetings with each UoA lead to provide training on how to access and use the REF system. All UoAs would have read only access and would be able to print reports as well as regularly check the live REF system and update the REF team of any updates/anomalies that required attention.
In addition to the REF Manager’s update, the Chair updated members on the following REF matters;
·  UoAs were reminded to update the REF team on any changes to staff contracts.
·  The REF Subpanel had met on the 10th July to review the REF5 submissions and the panel was impressed at the good practice that was being implemented by Schools across the institution.
ACTION: ALL
REC-12-3.4 / RESEARCH & ENTERPRISE COMMITTEE – 2014 ONWARDS
The Chair informed the committee of changes to the Research & Enterprise Committee structure that would take effect from September 2013.
A new Research & Enterprise Committee structure was ratified by Academic Council in June 2013. The new Research and Enterprise Committee structure would
·  Be responsible for addressing research and scholarship and associated enterprise. This body would be formed from the work of the current Research and Enterprise Committee and ratify the Faculty Research Degrees Committee recommendations for awards to be forwarded to Academic Council
·  Have a new membership structure that would operate in the new academic year. The membership would be as follows
Ø  Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research and Enterprise) (Chair)
Ø  University Director of Research and Enterprise
Ø  Director of Postgraduate Research
Ø  Two members of staff appointed by the Pro Vice Chancellor of each Faculty (8 in total on staggered two-year appointments)
The Chair had written to the Faculty Pro Vice Chancellors to appoint two members from each Faculty to serve on the Research and Enterprise Committee from September 2013.
The Chair thanked the current members for their support and hard work as committee members. The Vice Chair suggested that the Committee Terms of Reference be amended to include the following representatives at the ‘Chairs discretion’;
Ø  GRE Research Support Manager
Ø  Finance Representation
Ø  University Secretary
Ø  ECR representation.
REC-12-3.5 / GRE – SUMMARY OF OTHER RECENT ACTIVITIES
The Committee noted the update report on GRE activities in the 2012/13 academic calendar year presented by the Director of Research & Enterprise (GRE).

4. ITEMS FROM SCHOOLS

Directors of Research and Enterprise Presentations on Successes, Opportunities and Challenges in Research and Enterprise activities in each School

REC-12-4.1 / SCHOOL REPORT
The reports from Schools were noted by the Committee.

5. POSTGRADUATE RESEARCH MATTERS

REC-12-5.1 / Postgraduate Research Experience Survey
The Director of Postgraduate Research informed the members that the Postgraduate Research Experience Survey had ended and was pleased to announce that the university had a 60% participation rate (above the national average rate) in comparison to 40% engagement with the previous survey. The committee noted the graphical summary report that showed sector quartiles for the summary scales as well as the differences in REF subject aggregate scores between the University and the University Alliance group. A detailed analysis report would be presented at the next committee meeting
ACTION: Director of Postgraduate Research
REC-12-5.2 / Doctoral Completions Information – 2012-13
The Director of Postgraduate Research provided an update report on doctoral completions from 1st August 2012 to 10th July 2013.
50 MPhil, PhD and EdD completions had been achieved across Schools during this period. It was anticipated that the following further completions would signed off by 31st July 2013;
·  1 MPhil
·  6 PhD’s
·  2 EdD’s
Members were reminded of the deadline for maximising the student completions for inclusion in the REF was 31st July 2013. The Director of Postgraduate Research informed the members that this date was for the official sign off of the REF inclusions for Academic Council. The cut-off date for schools to inform the PGR Office of any inclusions for sign off was the 20th July 2013.
REC-12-5.3 / Update on Vice-Chancellor’s PhD Scholarships
The Committee noted the report of the number of applications received to date for the re-advertised scholarships by research topics and assigned supervisors.
The Director of Postgraduate Research informed the members that re-advertised scholarships had yielded a good response rate and the outcome of the applications would be reported at a future committee meeting.
ACTION: Director of Postgraduate Research

6. ITEMS FOR INFORMATION

RE-12-6.1 / RESEARCH AND ENTERPRISE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
The Committee noted the following funding calls for information:
REC-12-6.1.1 / The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC):
NERC Fellowship Scheme - Independent Research Fellowships
REC-12-6.1.2 / The Society for Educational Studies: Small grant awards
REC-12-6.1.4 / Department of Health including NIHR:
Health services and delivery research programme - researcher-led workstream
REC-12-6.1.3 / BA/Leverhulme:
Small Research Grants
REC-12-6.1.5 / The European Union:
GHG emission reduction potential of EU -related maritime transport and its impacts
REC-12-6.1.6 / The British Psychological Society:
BPS POST postgraduate award

7. ANY OTHER BUSINESS

REC-12-8.1 / DATES OF 2013/14 RESEARCH & ENTERPRISE COMMITTEE MEETINGS
Meeting / Papers Received by
TBA / TBA

REC\12\Agenda06

Secretary: Chipo Nyandoro-Kunzvi

Tel:7902, Email:

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