Research and Knowledge Exchange Service (RKES)

Research

Our skilled and knowledgeable staff provide a professional, effective and holistic offering for researchers to support them in their research and enterprise journey, from ideas and training to funding, dissemination and knowledge exchange.

The service comprises six units :

  • Enterprise and Engagement Unit (EEU)
  • Ethics, Integrity and Governance Unit (EIGU)
  • Graduate Research School (GRS)
  • Grants and Funding Unit (GFU)
  • Impact and Outputs Unit (IOU)
  • Intellectual Property and Commercialisation Unit (IPU)

Enterprise and Engagement Unit (EEU)

The EEU is responsible for engaging with employers, liaising with academic and professional service colleagues working towards collaborative and positive outcomes. Supporting degree apprenticeships, developing and delivering Knowledge Transfer Partnerships, development and promotion of CPD programmes with employers. Supporting businesses through consultancy and contract research and providing a front door model for guidance and connection to the wider University.

Ethics, Integrity and Governance Unit (EIGU)

The Ethics, Integrity and Governance Unit (EIGU) is responsible for developing processes relating to Research Integrity at UCLan and for managing and overseeing the University ethics processes. The EIGU is also responsible for performing the role of “sponsor” of clinical research (where appropriate).

The EIGU provide advice and specialist support in the following areas:

  • Research integrity
  • Research ethics
  • Clinical research governance
  • Sponsorship requirements
  • Research involving human tissue
  • Research involving animals
  • International research

Graduate Research School (GRS)

The Graduate Research School is responsible for supporting the postgraduate research environment and culture, having oversight of the student journey, as well as hosting events and activities for the PGR community. 

Grants and Funding Unit (GFU)

Provides support to academics from the point at which they have research ideas and are looking for funding, through identifying funding opportunities, development of proposals (including their costing and pricing), the internal approval process for submission and submission to the funders.  When funding is awarded the team liaises with academics and the funder and works with the Contract team in Legal Services to ensure the contract for the project is negotiated and signed. 

Impact and Outputs Unit (IOU)

The Impact and Outputs Unit provides leadership and management for activities such as the Research Excellence Framework (REF), Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF) and Knowledge Exchange Concordat (KEC)​; and the HR Excellence in Research Award and Researcher Development Concordat.

The IOU provide advice and support in the following areas:

  • Research impact
  • Open Research
  • Researcher development
  • Research and KE indicators and assessment

Intellectual Property & Commercialisation Unit (IPU)

The IPU supports research-active staff and students in protecting intellectual property arising from their research and in commercialising their work in order to maximize impact from the University’s research whether financial, reputational and/or societal.

If you are a business looking to partner with us to create commercial opportunities to license and develop intellectual property (IP), view our dedicated webpage.

Local and regional engagement

The Service works with many regional partners on a variety of diverse projects to maximise the region’s potential for local growth and redevelopment through research, innovation and knowledge exchange.

Partners cover businesses and community groups and also include the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership, Lancashire County Council and its local authorities. If you are interested in finding out more about our work, please contact Matthew Guest.

Central Lancashire Online Knowledge (CLoK)