Environment submissions database

The 2019/20 academic year presented operational and financial challenges; the ability to adapt at pace enabled us to achieve progress and accelerate priority areas of development. The University’s reputation for research with impact positioned Stirling on the frontline of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, with our researchers leading on 11 major CSO funded projects and 9 UKRI projects investigating aspects of the pandemic. Academics also developed bite-sized lectures to highlight how COVID-19 has affected their areas of research. To facilitate the rapid response to COVID-19 the Research and Innovation Service introduced a faster turnaround of applications and due diligence to meet short deadlines from funders, and an expedited ethics application process. The University recognises the difficulties in managing demands for online teaching/ PGR development/ training with research and home life. Under the institutional Be Connected programme a wide range of social, health & wellbeing, learning and cultural activities and resources to engender positive health and wellbeing among staff and doctoral students were brought together. £2.4m was received from the Scottish Government with specific rules to help mitigate the impact of COVID. Associate Deans for Research, professional research staff and institutional Deans meet weekly to discuss practical immediate and strategic research issues and support requirements. 100 research projects were paused, and extensions requested; by June 2020 66 of these had extensions agreed by the funders. UKRI provided £309K to extend existing projects. The University took an early decision to furlough contract research staff, which affected 37 projects and 71 staff. The University provided the full salary and benefits to these staff as well as utilising the government Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. This enabled the University to maintain its research base, ensure research projects recommence when regulations permit and provide financial stability to individual researchers. To ensure the safety of staff and students, there has been a carefully managed return to labs, the library and university archive, and staff offices (for those requiring this). Regular communications/online events kept our PGR community engaged and informed about special support and mitigation measures. No-quibble academic extensions were available to all PhD students affected by the pandemic for 3 months (130 initial applications), with the option for a further 3-month extension available. Financial support (up to 6 months) is available for students with University of Stirling studentships on a priority needs assessment. Qualified staff and students joined front-line NHS staff working on COVID-19, and research facilities were also utilised. We surveyed staff to assess the challenges of accessing research resources whilst working remotely; factors impacting on time available for research and level and impact on productivity. Further analysis will feed into the University Athena Swan action plan and initiatives designed to mitigate the pandemic’s impact on research. The Scottish and UK Governments have reprioritised phase 1 of the City Region Deal programme to focus on investment and activity that most directly and rapidly supports regional economic recovery.