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The research described below has impacted on policy and practice relating to Personal Development Planning (PDP) - the structured and supported process by which learners reflect upon their own development and plan their future development. The impact has primarily been on the UK Higher Education (HE) sector, but has also extended beyond the UK and into other types of organisation (e.g. graduate recruitment networks). More specifically, the research has: shaped the guidance offered to Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) by the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) on implementing and developing PDP policies and processes for students; enhanced the practice of PDP practitioners; stimulated debate among these practitioners; and informed the development of resources for these practitioners. This has had an overarching positive effect on learner development in educational settings and beyond.
Dr Meena Dhanda's research on caste identity and prejudice, through publications and public lectures, was instrumental in the campaign to include caste as a protected characteristic in the UK Equality Act 2010. The resultant Section 97 of the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013, enacted in 04/2013, made it mandatory for the Government to devise a secondary legislation amending Equality Act 2010 to include caste as an aspect of race thereby giving hope of legal protection to victims of caste discrimination. Her primary research on caste identity, a Leverhulme Research Fellowship 2010-12 (Reference 6) inaugurated a comparative (UK/India) discourse on the subject and informed the debate for legislative change. Likewise, Reference 1 informed public debate on gender quotas in the Indian Parliament.
The University of Southampton's long-term archaeological research at Avebury forms the basis upon which national and international heritage organisations such as the National Trust and UNESCO manage and preserve one of the most important prehistoric landscapes in the world. Local councils have used the research findings to inform their own policy and planning decisions. Research disseminated through museum exhibitions, public engagement events and publications has resulted in increased public interest and understanding of the site, stimulating greater tourism and local economic benefit.
The medieval seals projects have enabled substantial non-academic audiences to engage more effectively with and appreciate more fully the cultural heritage of Britain. There is now a deeper understanding among schoolchildren and adult interest groups (e.g. local history societies) of the importance of seals in medieval culture and their role in establishing identities. The projects have also alerted heritage professionals to the significance of seals as a heritage asset, and developed their skills in preserving and presenting this undervalued resource. In attracting visitors to Wales and the Marches through exhibitions and outreach events the projects have delivered an economic return.
Staff at the UHI Centre for History are at the forefront of research on emigration and the northern Highlands of Scotland. This work has had considerable impact on the culture and society of the region through its development of public understanding of the significance of emigration to Highland history. Making good use of our geographical location in the region, the Centre's research has engaged the community through lectures, the internet, and by working with museums and other cultural bodies, transforming the way in which both local society and diasporic groups perceive their history and its culture. The impact of this research has been most clearly seen in the shaping of museum curatorial practice (at Timespan Museum, Helmsdale and Special Collections, University of Aberdeen) and in the creation of social networks that bring together academics and the public to foster new ways of thinking about the northern Highlands and emigration.
Professor Henry French's research into the use of landed property and the lives of the English gentry, undertaken since his appointment at Exeter in 2001, has contributed to a Knowledge Transfer Fellowship community engagement project. This project trained volunteer groups to explore the history and archaeology of the estate and gardens of Poltimore House, Exeter. By transforming the capacity of Poltimore House Trust (PHT) to run outreach activities, it significantly enhanced its educational work with young people and schools. By enriching the history of the estate's almost unknown gardens, it gave the PHT a beacon project to publicise and enhance its wider re-development plans. By training community volunteers in historical and archaeological research, it made public involvement central to interpretation of historic landscapes, creating a template of sustainable heritage research that can be applied elsewhere.
The research undertaken on the 2001 Foot and Mouth Disease epidemic as a major natural, environmental and human disaster in the UK has changed the approach to managing such catastrophic events. By exploring a full range of interrelated political, technological and socio- cultural contexts of such events, it refocused and refined policy understanding and approach to managing similar disasters at both national and international level, by raising the profile of accounting for the personal, psychological and community impacts as well as the practical implications of such events.
The University of Bradford's internationally renowned research in North Atlantic archaeology at Old Scatness, Shetland has provided a sustainable legacy for the region, enhancing awareness of Shetland's past. This innovative heritage project is a partnership between the University and the Shetland Amenity Trust and has been critical to new developments in heritage presentation on the islands. The heritage project at Old Scatness pioneered a blend of site preservation and reconstructed buildings combined with an interpretive approach that provides visitors with a stimulating and interactive experience. The consideration of what was a hitherto unknown archaeological area as a World Heritage Site demonstrates the international significance of the research and its impact.
University of Bath research has contributed to a lean, `build-to-order' (BTO) production strategy for the European automotive industry. The study of `intelligent logistics' and supply chain configurations led to recommendations for building new production systems that are helping to address significant industry problems: global overcapacity, rising stock levels and low profitability. The research findings have been widely shared with vehicle manufacturers, suppliers, industry trade associations and government bodies, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and suppliers. The Bath research has had an impact on: the reduction of waste that is integral to the former `build to stock' production model; the development of an environmentally friendly manufacturing approach; improved profitability through the reduction of `inventory' (new cars losing value in large distribution parks); and on future innovation and growth challenges for the automotive industry. The research has influenced manufacturers and suppliers seeking to implement a more flexible automotive component supply chain across Europe.