Impact Global Location: Portugal

REF impact found 114 Case Studies

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An innovative partnership between academic researchers, coastal management groups and end-users delivers targeted research and enhances communication.

Summary of the impact

A research partnership between Edge Hill University and Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council developed innovative methods of identifying gaps in knowledge and understanding about sedimentary coastal dynamics and investigating practitioner needs. The partnership enabled the dissemination of scientific information to audiences across the wider community. The partnership provided a framework which enabled and enhanced integrated coastal zone management (ICZM). Within this framework coastal zone managers were supported in the development of adaptation and mitigation strategies, taking account of both long and short term environmental change. Policy and management decisions are now based upon sound scientific evidence wherever possible, ascertained by research where time allows, with significant scientific, social and policy benefits. Practice elsewhere on the UK's Irish sea coast, and elsewhere in the EU, has been influenced.

Submitting Institution

Edge Hill University

Unit of Assessment

Geography, Environmental Studies and Archaeology

Summary Impact Type

Environmental

Research Subject Area(s)

Earth Sciences: Oceanography, Physical Geography and Environmental Geoscience

Application of advanced analytical methods for damage assessment of cultural artefacts in museums and historic buildings

Summary of the impact

Research by Marianne Odlyha and her group at the Department of Biological Sciences, Birkbeck, University of London, has led to the development of minimally invasive analytical methods and portable tools (dosimeters) for assessing damage to historical artefacts. These dosimeters are now in use at locations around the world, including the Tate Gallery's store rooms, English Heritage properties (Apsley House) and museums in Ghent, Cracow and Mexico. Methods for assessing damage, and for mitigation of pollutant impact on objects in museum enclosures, have been disseminated to conservation professionals through workshops and training courses held across Europe. The assessment and prevention of damage is vital to conserve the cultural as well as the monetary value of artefacts.

Submitting Institutions

University College London,Birkbeck College

Unit of Assessment

Biological Sciences

Summary Impact Type

Cultural

Research Subject Area(s)

Chemical Sciences: Other Chemical Sciences
Engineering: Materials Engineering
History and Archaeology: Curatorial and Related Studies

Assisting trafficked persons and exploited migrants to access their human rights

Summary of the impact

Trafficked persons have benefitted directly from van den Anker's research at UWE through improved support and legislation. Her policy model on human trafficking prevention assisted changes in the UK, Ireland, Portugal, Czech Republic, Belgium and Sweden and informed local policy development through her training of politicians, civil servants and NGOs in Bristol, Birmingham and Wales. Increased multi-agency working promoted by van den Anker has led to the establishment of new support services like a safe house and the Migrant Rights Centre in Bristol, directly benefiting migrants. International dissemination contributed to agenda changes in international organisations such as the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.

Submitting Institution

University of the West of England, Bristol

Unit of Assessment

Politics and International Studies

Summary Impact Type

Societal

Research Subject Area(s)

Studies In Human Society: Demography, Policy and Administration
Law and Legal Studies: Law

Bridging the gap between policy and regulation: new assessment tools for implementing the EU Water Framework Directive

Summary of the impact

Research by Rowan and ERG colleagues Black, Bragg, Cutler, Duck has addressed the science and policy challenges faced by statutory authorities meeting their duty to implement the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) 2000. Assessing the sensitivity of aquatic systems to physical, chemical and biological pressures is the central theme, and through a series of commissioned projects funded by UK environment and conservation agencies, the research has:

  • Developed new assessment tools used by statutory regulators to characterise the degree of flow alteration and physical modification to rivers and lakes;
  • Developed the lake habitat survey (LHS) method, complete with accreditation programme, incorporated as best-practice in a CEN European Guidance Standard;
  • Been translated directly into legally-binding and currently used environmental standards across the UK and Ireland (through new enabling legislation);
  • Informed regulatory practices across Europe, particularly in Italy, Poland, France, Norway, Serbia and Montenegro.

Submitting Institution

University of Dundee

Unit of Assessment

Geography, Environmental Studies and Archaeology

Summary Impact Type

Political

Research Subject Area(s)

Environmental Sciences: Environmental Science and Management
Medical and Health Sciences: Public Health and Health Services
Studies In Human Society: Policy and Administration

Bringing a science of behaviour to the community

Summary of the impact

We addressed a serious mismatch between increasing rates of autism diagnosis across Europe and the shortage of professionals skilled in effective treatment provided by Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA; www.bacb.com). A parent-lead charity (PEAT) was established in N. Ireland (www.peatni.org); teams from 7 European countries adapted our multimedia training resources (www.stamppp.com); Masters and Certificate level courses were established. Government documents informing policy in Scotland and New Zealand were corrected. Schools and charities in the Republic of Ireland, Poland, and Portugal, and other Masters level courses subsequently appeared in Ireland (http://tinyurl.com/cxpo66m). Simple Steps NI Ltd. was established involving PEAT and Manleys (http://www.manleys.co.uk).

Submitting Institution

University of Ulster

Unit of Assessment

Psychology, Psychiatry and Neuroscience

Summary Impact Type

Health

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Clinical Sciences, Public Health and Health Services
Psychology and Cognitive Sciences: Psychology

Changing crowd management practices through research on effects of crowd participation

Summary of the impact

Drury's research on the psychological effects of crowd participation has provided new rationales that have changed the crowd and emergency management practices used by a number of bodies and institutions; the concepts and principles he has helped to develop have become part of their guidance literature. Specifically the impacts are in two areas. The first is the policing of crowds, where new guidance embodies recommendations from his research to reduce the likelihood of conflict. The second is psychosocial care for people affected by emergencies, where his research on informal resilience in crowds has contributed to the rationale for a new approach evident in NATO and the Department of Health guidance and training.

Submitting Institution

University of Sussex

Unit of Assessment

Psychology, Psychiatry and Neuroscience

Summary Impact Type

Societal

Research Subject Area(s)

Studies In Human Society: Criminology, Sociology
Psychology and Cognitive Sciences: Psychology

Cognitive Stimulation Therapy - a new therapy for dementia

Summary of the impact

Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST) is an evidence-based, brief, group therapy for people with mild to moderate dementia. It was developed and evaluated by UCL in collaboration with Bangor University. Our research showed significant benefits in cognition and quality of life plus cost-effectiveness. Cognitive Stimulation for people with mild/moderate dementia of all types is recommended by NICE and is now in widespread use across the UK and the rest of the world in a variety of settings including care homes, hospitals and the community. A recent audit by the Memory Services National Accreditation Programme reported that 66% of UK memory clinics surveyed were using CST.

Submitting Institution

University College London

Unit of Assessment

Psychology, Psychiatry and Neuroscience

Summary Impact Type

Health

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Clinical Sciences, Public Health and Health Services
Psychology and Cognitive Sciences: Psychology

Conflict management and post-conflict reconstruction in Casamance, Senegal

Summary of the impact

Martin Evans' research concerns conflict and its aftermath in the Casamance region of southern Senegal — the scene of West Africa's longest-running insurgency. His work has influenced policy, humanitarian and development activity in the region and beyond, and has informed Western governments, international agencies and non-governmental organisations in their interventions to support peacebuilding and `post-conflict' reconstruction. In addition, Evans has provided expert testimony in relation to asylum claims made in Western countries by Casamançais fleeing persecution. Building on his previous work, Evans has conducted the underpinning research for this activity while at Chester as a lecturer (February 2009-July 2011) and senior lecturer (August 2011-present).

His work has a lasting impact because of the situation's intractability and the need to address ongoing violence and human displacement. The conflict also retains the capacity to destabilise neighbouring countries.

Submitting Institution

University of Chester

Unit of Assessment

Geography, Environmental Studies and Archaeology

Summary Impact Type

Societal

Research Subject Area(s)

Studies In Human Society: Political Science
History and Archaeology: Historical Studies

Design of a block cipher used in TETRA secure radio

Summary of the impact

Terrestrial Trunked Radio (TETRA) is a very well known, international specification for secure mobile radio and `walkie-talkie' communication, that is extensively used and relied upon by emergency and public safety services such as police, ambulance and fire services, as well as governmental and private bodies. The European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) began standardising TETRA in the 1990s and it is now widely used throughout the world. Foundations of its success include resilience and reliability, but security is a major feature, being underpinned by expert cryptographic design. In particular the authentication and key generation mechanisms in TETRA rely on a block cipher (HURDLE) which was designed by a team of cryptographers at Royal Holloway.

The work carried out at Royal Holloway underpins the integrity and security of TETRA safety- critical networks throughout the world to the present day. A secure design for emergency service communications minimises both the amount of disruption criminals can cause to service operations, and the amount of operational information such criminals can glean from eavesdropping, contributing to the safety and security of society as a whole as well as the economic benefits to manufacturers of TETRA-based equipment.

Submitting Institution

Royal Holloway, University of London

Unit of Assessment

Mathematical Sciences

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Information and Computing Sciences: Computation Theory and Mathematics, Data Format

Developing and sustaining effective multi-agency systems to safeguard children from harm

Summary of the impact

Senior managers in agencies in contact with children are frequently criticised, particularly in reports following child deaths, for failing to facilitate collaborative working to safeguard children. Yet, developing and sustaining collaborative systems is not easy. To assist managers, Horwath and Morrison developed a conceptual framework and, in collaboration with policy-makers and managers in Wales, added standards and indicators. These combine to form the building blocks likely to create a safe, multidisciplinary, child protection system. Their research has:

  • Impacted on the development of multidisciplinary safeguarding partnerships in a number of countries.
  • Enabled policy makers and senior managers to measure system improvements.
  • Informed statutory guidance.

Submitting Institution

University of Sheffield

Unit of Assessment

Social Work and Social Policy

Summary Impact Type

Societal

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Public Health and Health Services
Studies In Human Society: Policy and Administration, Social Work

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