Centres and institutes
A centre or institute should be a recognisable entity which is able to develop its own identity. It may be either interdisciplinary and/or multi-departmental or a single (sub)-disciplinary activity within a department.
Centre or Institute?
A Research Centre should bring together individuals from different departments to provide a multi-disciplinary approach or, in the case of a single disciplinary proposal, it should have a significant and potentially enduring identity that provides added value and is more robust than an informal research group. Research groupings within departments may be sufficient to sustain a high quality research culture and environment, without the need for a free-standing Centre.
Institutes will typically cluster collections of other centres and research clusters that draw on the expertise on the academic staff on a pan-University basis and may involve a wide range of external partners. They represent ‘flagships’ for the projection of the University’s research, externally, particularly in the field of impact and knowledge exchange. Given their organisational complexity and scale, the level of support provided by the University may reflect this. The title of ‘institute’ should be used to denote areas where the University has a global reputation for a particular field (or fields) of work where the University demonstrates significant disciplinary and cross-disciplinary strength.
Research Centre Procedures
Establishing a new centre
A proposal to establish a centre must be submitted using the Proposal to establish a new centre form(.docx).
Once the form has been completed and endorsed by the Host department’s Head of Department/School and Faculty Executive Dean, it should be sent to the REO Research Planning Team (via the Executive Dean's office). The REO Research Planning Team will then make the necessary arrangements for this to be considered by Research Committee, University Steering Group and Senate. The outcome would be communicated once the proposal has been endorsed by Senate.
Monitoring and evaluating existing centres
All centres undergo a review on a three-year cycle which is reported to Research Committee. Centres must demonstrate sustainability and they must produce financial and/or reputational benefits for the University that exceed the costs of their operation. Centres that cannot demonstrate net benefits in either of these senses will be recommended for closure as well as Centres which have no significant research activity.
Centre Directors will be contacted by the REO Planning Team and asked to complete a Proposal to Continue or Close Centre form(.docx).
It is important that the section on 'Resource Implications for a proposal to continue a centre’, is discussed with the Host Department's Faculty Manager.
Once the form has been completed and endorsed by the Host department’s Head of Department/School and Faculty Executive Dean, it should be sent to the REO Research Planning Team (via the Executive Dean's office). The REO Research Planning Team will then make the necessary arrangements for this to be considered by Research Committee, University Steering Group and Senate. The outcome would be communicated once the proposal has been endorsed by Senate.
Changing the centre directorship
The appointment of a Director of the Centre is approved as part of the proposal for the establishment of the centre and are part of the University’s governance structure and Centre Directors are named in the University Calendar.
Should there be a need to change the Director before the three year review, Centre Directors should complete a Proposal to Change a Research Centre form(.docx). This should be submitted, with the endorsement of the host Head of Department and Faculty Executive Dean, to Research Committee before it is approved by Senate and Council.
Completed forms should be sent to the REO Research Planning Team who will make the necessary arrangements for the change to be considered by Research Committee, University Steering Group and Senate. The outcome would be communicated once the proposed change has been endorsed by Senate.
Changing the name of a centre
Changes to the name of a research centre can be proposed by completing a Proposal to Change the Name of a Centre form(.docx).
The details should outline the reason and rationale for the proposed change. If the objectives of the centre differ greatly from that of the original centre proposal, a Proposal to Establish a New Centre form(.docx) may be required.
A Proposal to Change Research Centre Director form(.docx) will also be required if along with a change of centre name, a change of Centre Director is also proposed.
Completed forms should be sent to the REO Research Planning Team who will make the necessary arrangements for the change to be considered by Research Committee, University Steering Group and Senate. The outcome would be communicated once the proposed change has been endorsed by Senate.
Policy and procedures for approving and monitoring Centres(.pdf)
If you have any questions or are unsure what forms you need to complete, please contact the REO Research Planning Team.
