Research Committees

This page gives an overview of the committees which provide leadership for research at the University (see Research Committee Structure 2024 diagram).

Membership

Committee membership is made up senior staff in relevant areas, professional services staff and researchers appointed through an open process. The terms of reference and membership of all committees is published in the University Committee List.

Each committee is chaired either by the PVC R&I, Parveen Yaqoob, by one of the APVCs Research or the APVC for Postgraduate Research Studies and Researcher Development.

Ways of working

Our research governance model is informed by four key principles – accountability, leadership, effectiveness, inclusiveness – which shape the committee structure, their membership, and their ways of working.

All members actively contribute to the committee’s work and sponsor the development of particular activities or programmes overseen by the committee. All University staff can contribute to the work of research committees if they wish to – the committee ways of working, members’ roles, and mechanisms through which colleagues can contribute are detailed in the Research Committees Ways of Working document. 

UCRI meets fortnightly and most other committees meet either termly or quarterly. A full schedule of committee meetings is available in the Governance Zone of the University website. A direct link to the committee list in the Governance Zone is available as Committee List.

Minutes will be published on the Committee Minutes page as they become available (or summary minutes for committees which may discuss sensitive personal or commercial information).

University Board for Research and Innovation (UBRI)

UBRI provides governance and oversight of research and innovation activities (including research and innovation performance, researcher development and training, REF and KEF submission and performance, research integrity and open research, research finance including RDF), oversees engagement with sector-wide developments, and challenges and supports research leadership. It is the formal governance committee which reports to the University Senate and meets quarterly.

University Committee for Research and Innovation (UCRI)

UCRI is made up of the Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research & Innovation, six APVCs Research, APVC for Postgraduate Research Studies and Researcher Development, Director of Research Services, Head of Planning and Reporting, REF and Research Planning Manager.  It is chaired by the Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation. Its remit is to ensure progress towards the objectives of the Research and Innovation Strategy, and to undertake detailed prioritisation of research and innovation portfolio. It also monitors and evaluates the spending of the Research Development Fund (RDF) resource by projects overseen by other committees. Meets fortnightly.

Committee for Researcher Development and Postgraduate Studies (CRDPS)

The objectives of CRDPS are to develop the strategy for PGR recruitment and training, develop the strategy for and oversee researcher development, oversee the work of the Doctoral and Researcher College and our Doctoral Training Programme and to oversee the University's commitments under the HR Excellence in Research award and the Concordat to Support the Development of Research Staff. Meets termly.

Committee for Open Research and Research Integrity (CORRI)

CORRI's role is to oversee and further develop policies, structures and processes for research integrity and ethics (as appropriate) and review their effectiveness, to develop and oversee implementation of the open research strategy, to oversee development of relevant training in research ethics and integrity, and open research, and to ensure compliance with the Concordat on Research Integrity. Meets termly.

Committee for Research Infrastructure (CRI)

CRI's objectives are to provide comprehensive overview of research infrastructure requirements, to implement infrastructure- and facilities-related issues of the research strategy, to recommend allocations of the research infrastructure fund, and to monitor progress with infrastructure fund projects. Meets termly.

University Committee for Research Impact, Partnerships, and Engagement (UCRIPE)

UCRIPE provides financial and performance oversight of the University’s impact strategy, supports implementation of the public engagement plan, supports knowledge exchange and the commercialisation elements of the research strategy. The Committee also oversees the University's submission to KEF. Meets termly.

Development Research Steering Group

The Development Research Steering Group oversees the development and delivery of the University’s institutional strategy for development research. Meets termly.