Paper Short Abstract

This paper will explore the use of research evidence in the decision-making process(es) affecting research cultures within UK HEIs and consider how the use of metascience in institutional decisions can be improved to enhance research culture, rigour and transparency.

Paper Abstract

Initiatives to understand and improve institutional research cultures, which in turn promote research excellence, should be informed by insights and evidence from robust research. However, recent research suggests that evidence-informed decision-making on issues affecting research cultures is not widely embedded within UK HEIs, despite recognition that there is a body of work that could be drawn from. The limited application of metascience to understand and improve institutional research cultures puts fair and inclusive working environments at risk. Limited understanding of the change required for a healthy and thriving research environment as well as a lack of robust evidence used to justify decisions can lead to resistance and/or disengagement with change and adversely affect the organisation's culture.

This paper will explore the use of research evidence in the decision-making process affecting research cultures within UK HEIs. The research draws on interviews from around 80 participants working within six organisations across three categories of research intensity, including representatives from both academic and professional services staff. The paper will begin by outlining the existing decision-making process(es) with HEIs, commenting on the similarities, differences, relationships and interplay between decision-making at the institutional and departmental level, before reflecting on the use of evidence and the extent to which metascience is applied. It will conclude by considering how the use of metascience in institutional decisions can be improved to enhance research culture, rigour and transparency.