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The University of South Wales, through their Welsh Enterprise Institute (including Global Entrepreneurship Monitor) has developed a long and impressive history of Entrepreneurship research. It was because of this record of producing high impact research work that the Federation of Small Business (FSB) survey was awarded and conducted in 2008. The survey examined the barriers to growth of small firms from a wide range of economic and managerial perspectives. The impact of the survey generated numerous policy documents, as well as academic research outputs.
Politics staff at Cardiff have conducted detailed research on public attitudes towards devolution in Wales. By directly informing the conclusions of the All Wales Convention, and the behaviour of key actors in the 2011 Welsh referendum, the research has significantly influenced the Welsh devolution settlement. The research has contributed substantially to the on-going work of the Silk Commission. Regular and effective public dissemination of key research findings has enabled the research to inform political debate in Wales. The research has also contributed to the development of survey capacity in Wales, and thereby facilitated the conduct of more regular Welsh political polling.
Until the Centre for Media and Culture in Small Nations was established in 2006, there was no coherent, multidisciplinary programme of research examining the creative industries through the distinct framework of small nations, including Wales. By drawing together researchers from diverse arts and media disciplines, the Centre has provided a thorough analysis of the creative industries in Wales and informed public debate on their artistic, social and economic contribution to the nation's civic life. Our original research has delivered new insights for organisations, and their users, including BBC Wales, National Theatre Wales, the Welsh Music Foundation and community radio.
The case study describes the impact of research conducted at the Institute of Welsh Politics (IWP) on public opinion on Welsh devolution by Professor Wyn Jones and Professor Scully. Two types of impact have been generated by this research. First, the research has informed public policy processes relating to the Welsh devolution settlement primarily in Wales but also in the UK more generally. Second, the research, and its dissemination through media, public seminars and educational activities has resulted in impact on societal beneficiaries in Wales, specifically through informing and shaping public discourse on and understanding of Welsh devolution. The impact derives from ESRC-funded public opinion surveys and key academic publications on public attitudes in Wales towards devolution.
The case study focuses on work undertaken at Bangor University (BU) in two closely related fields, Welsh lexicography and terminology. It demonstrates how a major lexicographical publication — The Welsh Academy English-Welsh Dictionary: Geiriadur yr Academi (1995) — has far-reaching influence and impact on the daily use and vocabulary of standard literary Welsh. It displays how lexicography sustains the vitality of a `lesser-used' language and enables a standard written form to be widely used in educational, professional and public domains. Building on the lexicographical feat represented by the dictionary, BU also leads the development of the allied area of Welsh terminology. Furthermore, in both these areas BU has facilitated the delivery of its research to non- academic users through the creation of open-access on-line databases.
Prof. Ron Wiltshire and Dr. Tatiana Tatarinova helped to develop High Performance Computing Wales (HPC Wales) by providing "test" problems from the life sciences (bioinformatics), defining key software packages, and brought on-board collaborative partners to instigate project areas. Established in 2010 with £44 million funding, HPC Wales is Europe's first nation-wide "hub-and-spoke" super-computing facility. In the three years following its conception, HPC Wales has approximately 50 collaborative organisations supporting over 60 major projects; 40% in life sciences and 5% in bioinformatics through Wiltshire's and Tatarinova's involvement. Further impact arose through the redesign of software and up-skilling of HPC Wales staff.
Our research has had a significant impact on economic policy formation. This impact is best exemplified by looking at two examples:
1) Safeguarding 10,000 jobs in Wales: providing the evidence base for the introduction of the ProAct.
2) Providing critical evidence to the debate initiated by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in 2011 for more market facing pay for over 6 million public sector employees, which was subsequently abandoned in 2012 in part based as a consequence of our research findings.
The underlying research on regional and labour economics spans over two decades, involving the creation, since 2002, of 3 research centres (£2.4m to Swansea) which, through 50 reports, have impacted directly on policy.
Welsh migrants had a distinctive impact in the countries in which they settled, but their contribution remains unacknowledged in many academic or popular histories, be these of Wales or (for example) the USA. In addressing this lacuna, Jones's research on the Welsh diaspora has influenced public and professional understanding of the Welsh specifically in North America through directing the content of exhibitions, as well as professional practice in the heritage sector, and by engaging directly with a diverse range of audiences and professionals to enhance their understanding of the Welsh diaspora. As an advisor/collaborator with a range of media companies operating in both the English and Welsh languages, Jones's research has benefited productions across traditional and digital media platforms. His expertise is central to informing modern understandings of Welsh communities overseas and, thus, of the Welsh as a people with global horizons.
The publication of The Library of Wales series, of Welsh literary works in English, was funded by the Welsh Government as a direct result of evidence given to the National Assembly of Wales by Thomas. The evidence was based on research carried out at Swansea University, and made the case for bringing a neglected but artistically and culturally important body of literature back into print. Since 2008 the series, edited by Smith, has delivered economic benefit to its publisher; provided new content for cultural tourism events; raised awareness of Welsh writing in English amongst new audiences; and made new material available for educational and creative purposes.