The Impact of Impact

Sometimes it feels as if this blog is just an Impact Newsletter: every other post seems to be about the dreaded 'i' word. However, the intention of this blog is to relay and reflect on the current issues around research funding, and Impact is the day's cause célèbre. It's everywhere, and both academics and administrators are concerned about it. The Times Higher suggests they're concerned in different ways, though I don't think that's necessarily true: I empathise with the academics, though I recognise that we're all going to have to jump through this particular hoop for some time yet. Elsewhere, the interest in Impact is shown in the sell-out debate - and how often do you see a sell-out debate? - on 30 November entitled 'Blue Skies Ahead? The Prospect for UK Science.' It will be streamed on the Times Higher website, and I hope to tune in.

So apologies for banging on about Impact, but I'm afraid it will be hogging the headlines for the foreseeable future. Unless, of course, we see some dramatic handbrake turn by this government - or the next.