Impactful research case studies must demonstrate societal changes already achieved, not hoped-for

In May 2024, Universities South Africa (USAf) initiated a groundbreaking project to showcase how the 26 public universities it represents are making an impact on society.

This call was inviting universities to submit case studies that demonstrate how universities address and resolve societal challenges, with a view to showcase the winning case studies on the USAf website for public consumption.

Professor Chris Brink (below), author of the seminal and often-quoted book, The Soul of a University – Why Excellence is not Enough (Bristol University Press, 2018), was invited to manage the entire process, from drawing up its guidelines to coordinating the panel evaluating the submissions. Brink, also a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE), is a former vice-chancellor of Newcastle University in the United Kingdom (2007 – 2016) as well as of the University of Stellenbosch (2002-2007)

At USAf’s 3^rd Higher Education Conference held in Pretoria in October, Professor Brink spoke about this project in an online presentation during the session sub-themed The University as an Impactful Societal Influence.

“This is the first time it is being done in South Africa,” he said. “The objective is to illustrate the positive influence of South African universities in the way they address societal challenges through their academic work – their research and their teaching. And USAf thought, ‘this is a story worth telling’,” he said.

Universities were required to submit up to three of their most compelling impact case studies. “We had 10 universities making submissions. That means half the universities in South Africa,” said Brink. Some were so keen, he said, that they submitted more than three but to avoid giving any institution an unfair advantage, they were contacted to limit their case studies to the required number.

USAf ended up with 29 impact case studies, which, at the time of the Conference, were being assessed by a panel to determine which ones met the criteria for selection.

The largest number of submissions were in the area of humanities, equal to medical and health sciences. “That should be reassuring for people who think humanities might be a little disadvantaged compared to more technical or scientific subjects,” said Brink.

The second largest number of submissions were on engineering and technology, followed by agricultural sciences, then natural sciences, “which is perhaps a bit of a surprise” said Brink, and then economics and finance.

Professor Brink said it was important to note that “this exercise is not a competition. We are not going to announce winners. We’re not having a ranking. We’re not going to say number one, number two, number three. The whole point is, we just needed a scrutiny to derive at a yet unknown decision whether impact case studies submitted should be displayed on the website.” He said they want good examples to set the tone for the stated objective. Therefore, the assessment under way was “simply a screening”, he said.

Professor Brink outlined the project guidelines. The case studies must:

• Describe an impact that has already occurred. USAf wants to display an existing track record of universities, not their strategy, not their policy, nor their ideas about future impact.
• Show evidence of a change somewhere in society that has arisen as a result of the academic work conducted at the university.
• Do more than just describe an activity.

“The mere fact that you are doing something is not in itself evidence that doing what you are doing has made a difference,” he said.

“And if, for example, you wish to submit an impact case study in the area of biology, we’re not asking whether you can motivate biology has an impact in society. We’re asking whether you can motivate that a biology plan by your university in specific areas has made an impact. And that impact must be in society. It must be outside academia.

“I cannot emphasise this point enough, because so many submissions by so many universities begin by telling you at length about their research and about how many papers were published, and about the impact factor of the journals in which they were published. Most of that is very valuable. It is central to what we do in academia. But the point of this exercise is to ask about the impact, the effect, the difference you’ve made in society outside of academia. Have you changed people’s lives outside there in the real world?”

Brink said submissions need to reflect reach and significance.

Reach means how widespread the impact has been. That is, how many people, beneficiaries and communities did it reach?

And significance is about how much of a difference did it make. “So if you work with a local community, even if the community may be small, and you claim an impact on the lives of the people of that community, how much of a difference have you made positively?” said Brink.

Of the assessment process, Professor Brink said “I think we’re off to a good start. This is new territory for many South African universities. I have been speaking about this for some time now, at various universities and organisations, such as USAf. And to begin with, you need people to understand that this is a new kind of question. The question is not just ‘how good is your research or your academic work?’ The question is: ‘what difference has it made?’ And it takes a while before people get into that mode of thinking.”

They anticipate completing the assessment before the end of the year. “And the plan then is that USAf can build a public repository of these impact case studies. And that is an on-going process. I’ve recommended already that there be a second call in 2025,” said Brink.

He wants to see all 26 universities in South Africa displaying their work. “That will be beneficial for all universities and for society at large, so that anybody can go to the website and see good examples of the impact of academic work done in South Africa,” he said.

Professor Brink’s tips for universities planning to submit impact case studies in the next open call include:

• Use the template that will be provided with the invitation to submit examples.
• Keep it simple and express your thoughts about the impact of your academic work. Do not use technical academic terms. The case studies are for the public, and stakeholders such as journalists, politicians, members of charities and anyone in civil society should be able to understand them.
• Do not submit a portfolio of your academic work.

“The main focus is not on the research itself; the main focus is on the effect of the outputs. We’re interested in the impact outside of academia, the societal impact, not the academic impact.

“And please refrain as best you can, from just saying, ‘we hope that this will have an impact in future’. What we are asking is for case studies of impact already achieved. We’re not after promises or intentions about potential impact. Keep in mind the basic question: ‘What has changed in society as a result of your work?’” said Professor Brink.

Gillian Anstey is a contract writer for Universities South Africa.