Environment submissions database

The pandemic impacted research and the research environment at the University of Wolverhampton (UoW) severely. Research laboratories for biomedical sciences, computer science, engineering, and sports were closed for 4-5 months, as were studios for art and design, the performing arts, and specialist archival collections. Access to research participants had to be renegotiated or delayed. We diverted resources and contributed equipment (PCR machine), PPE, sanitiser and facilities (halls of residence) to the national pandemic effort. Our 4 libraries had a phased re-opening after 3 months, starting with a click-and-collect service and managed booking for research students’ study spaces. We negotiated extensions to projects that were disrupted due to travel restrictions (e.g. H2020 RISE ReACTIVE project), cancellations of public engagement events (e.g. British Coal Industry AHRC project), or where access to research sites in healthcare settings was affected (e.g. H2020 DEMAIRPO). As UoW set a deficit budget, the decision was taken to postpone the majority of new Research Investment Round RIF4, due to have commenced in August 2020. Our researcher development programmes moved online and are freely accessible to researchers from outside UoW. Over 1,000 research staff and students engaged with Researchers’ Week in June 2020. The most severe effect was on our staff and PGR students as illness, caring responsibilities, working or volunteering in frontline services, and the pivot to online teaching time affected the ability to research productively. 37 academic staff and 148 PGR students (59% BAME and 42% female) were directly affected. A staff survey in May 2020 showed the greatest concerns were not having the right equipment needed to work (38% of respondents); health, well-being and not being able to switch off (24%); and increased workloads (11%). Lab and studio re-openings were only possibly at reduced capacity. PGR students were detrimentally affected by digital poverty. A survey showed that 21% of respondents did not have access to a computer or broadband during lockdown 1, and 70% of respondents had sub-optimal equipment and/or internet access. We therefore put people at the core to our Recommence, Recover and Revive Strategy. For PGR students we provided extensive support including six months no-fees extensions (extended to 12 months in February 2021), two months bursary extensions, access to the student hardship fund and loans of laptops and dongles. To support staff, we extended our internal early career research grants by a minimum of one year, prioritised re-opening of labs, enacted mitigations for annual performance review and promotion rounds, facilitated access to IT and office equipment including specialist equipment for staff with disabilities. We also put in place an extensive mental health support package and weekly ‘hangouts’ for PGR students. We did not furlough researchers but instead pivoted work to desk-based projects, new collaborations and support for PGR students. Despite these supporting measures, we expect to see a drop in research productivity. Enrolments of new PGR students has declined by 20% in 2020 as students delayed their start dates. Finally, new strategic initiatives in health and digitalisation will be delayed.