Environment submissions database

The short-term - April 2020-March 2021 In terms of research students, strenuous efforts were made by colleagues in the Graduate School, working together with supervisors to ensure that work plans were re-arranged for research students between April and June 2020 and from January 2021 onwards who were unable to undertake field work during the UK wide lockdown periods. Discussions were held both with individual students and larger cohorts. This work mitigated the impact of COVID-19 on students, especially those in the earlier stages of their studies. The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) provided £918K of COVID related research uplift funds to the University and c£145K of this has been used to support funded extensions for PhD students, where it was not possible to secure funded extensions from other sources. The University agreed criteria and a process for these funds to be allocated to students. A small additional sum was received directly from UKRI and this has been allocated using the same protocols as per the SFC uplift. Taking all of this together any adverse impact of COVID-19 on research students has been mitigated effectively. In regard to research projects and knowledge exchange activity it was not possible for all research and knowledge exchange projects to progress according to schedules confirmed prior to COVID-19, as some researchers, especially where laboratory work or distant fieldwork was required have not been able to undertake empirical work especially during full lockdown periods. A complex picture emerged due to the different projects being funded using different funding sources. Funded extensions were achieved for some projects and of the SFC research uplift funds c£272K was allocated to support staff costs. COVID-19 did impact on research and knowledge exchange income in 2019/20 and this shows a decrease of £852,000 for research income and £824,000 for knowledge exchange income as compared with 2018/19. The University has progressed a number of funded COVID-19 related research projects, especially through its Institute of Health Research and Innovation, and in collaboration with other universities and health boards (see UHI COVID hub https://is.gd/XtzZRQ). As part of the University’s commitment to researching the impacts of COVID-19 on individuals, the economy and society, c£500k of the SFC research uplift funds were used to support a mix of pan-regional research projects and specific projects within individual academic partners of the university. The University has also received an COVID-19 uplift of c£127K for research capital, which it is using as an additional contribution to positioning the research infrastructure for future growth. The Medium-term – April 2021-July 2023 Through Academic Council, Partnership Council and the Regional Strategic Committee, work has progressed to define a medium-term strategy related to COVID-19 impacts. This has four main components: enhancing research and knowledge exchange activity which impacts the regional economy and society; enhancing inter-disciplinary place-based research; enhancing outward looking international research which impacts the challenges of our time (for example zero carbon) and deepening stakeholder engagement for economic recovery.