Research Impact

AAMRI Research Impact Committee – November 2023

After a competitive process that received wide interest from across AAMRI member organisations, we are delighted to present the inaugural AAMRI Research Impact Committee.

This committee replaces the AAMRI Impact Working Group. We would like to publicly acknowledge and thank members of the outgoing Working Group for their dedication and contributions, particularly to the development of the AAMRI Research Impact Framework.

Our goal is to recommend actions AAMRI can take to build and facilitate a translation and impact ethos and culture across the sector and identify areas where AAMRI can most effectively advocate for ways to achieve meaningful, ethical and purposeful approaches to translation and impact within the sector.

Please view the Terms of Reference for the Research Impact Committee.

The members of the NEW committee are:

Ken Knight –
Co-chair
Head of Research Impact & Consumer Involvement
Murdoch Children’s Research Institute
Shanthi Ramanathan –
Co-chair
Research Impact Lead
Hunter Medical Research Institute
Ariel AchtmanSenior Project Manager, Strategy and Impact
Olivia Newton John Institute for Cancer Research
Christine AndersonHead of Research Development and Support
Black Dog Institute
Joan Ostaszkiewicz (Prof)Principal Director, Aged Care Research
National Ageing Research Institute
Johanna RewaSenior Grants Development Officer
Telethon Kids Institute
Katherine Andrews (Prof)Director and Principal Research Leader
Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery
Mary-Ann NicholasCo-Head, Strategy, Insights & Impact and Head, Development Effectiveness
Burnet Institute
Mary-Anne YoungHead of Clinical Engagement and Translational Platform
Garvan Institute of Medical Research
Maxine MorrisonTrusts and Foundations Manager
Children’s Medical Research Institute
Natasha StevensProgram Manager, MS Research Flagship
Menzies Institute for Medical Research
Veronica Le NevezHead of Impact and Engagement, Australia
George Institute for Global Health

In addition, we have an AAMRI Board member, AAMRI CEO and consumer representative and an AAMRI staff member who will provide secretariat support.

Jason Kovacic (Prof)AAMRI Board representative
Director, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute
Dr Saraid BilliardsAAMRI Chief Executive Officer
TBCConsumer and Community representative in an advisory capacity

AAMRI Research Impact Framework

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What is the Research Impact Project?

The Research Impact Project aims to deliver a standardised framework that will enable Australian medical research institutes to measure the impact of their research and its contribution towards knowledge, society, health and the economy. 

This Project is an Australian first and is driven by AAMRI member institutes. A range of stakeholders from research institutes, funders, government, industry and the community have given their input to help develop the AAMRI Research Impact Framework. 

This Framework will enhance the Australian medical research sector’s ability to translate research findings into real-world outcomes and benefits.

The purpose of the Research Impact Project

Research Impact is defined by the NHMRC as the verifiable outcomes that research makes to knowledge, health, the economy and/or society. Impact is the effect of the research after it has been adopted, adapted for use, or used to inform further research. There has been an absence of common impact language within the sector – until now.

Over half of all AAMRI member medical research institutes have participated directly to co-develop a common language for communicating how their work is contributing to knowledge, society, health and the economy. 

The Framework will enhance the ability of medical research institutes to identify and demonstrate how their research is making an impact, maximising the return on investment made by government, industry and philanthropic funders.

The Research Impact Project is the first step towards creating a common understanding of the impacts of medical research. Importantly, the Framework provides a way for research organisations to understand how their practices can improve the translation of research and knowledge.

The development of the AAMRI Research Impact Framework

The Project was coordinated by the AAMRI Research Impact Working Group with the generous support of The Ian Potter Foundation. The AAMRI Research Impact Framework was developed in two phases.

Phase 1: Stakeholder engagement

What is research impact?

The first phase of the Project engaged with end user stakeholders of research – including health and medical research organisations, funders of research, government, industry, and community organisations – to find out what these groups identified as research impact.

The findings of these consultations, combined with a review of existing research impact frameworks and research and knowledge translation practices, were then used to inform and refine the development of the AAMRI Research Impact Framework which is based on the Canadian Academy of Health Science Framework.

Phase 2: Developing a framework for understanding the impact of research

How can progress towards research impact be optimised and demonstrated within the Australian medical research sector?

Medical research institutes all across Australia play a leading role in translating research into health, development and wellbeing. AAMRI’s 57 member institutes are internationally recognised leaders in health and medical research that work on a broad spectrum of human health issues ranging from fundamental biomedical discovery through to clinical research and the translation of research findings from bench to bedside.

The second phase of the Project involved AAMRI member medical research institutes participating in a Delphi process to co-develop the AAMRI Research Impact Framework. This involved participating in three survey rounds to gain consensus and build on the research and knowledge translation indicators and practices identified through Phase 1 of the Project.

The outcome is a Framework of good research translation and knowledge translation practices, and indicators for the effective implementation of these.

The AAMRI Research Impact Framework aims to represent a range of research priorities within the Australian medical research sector and is divided into six categories for demonstrating research impact:

  • Advancing knowledge
  • Research capacity building
  • Informing decision-making
  • Health impacts
  • Economic impacts
  • Social impacts

Each category includes a list of indicators that can be used to demonstrate progress towards or having achieved research impact. The Framework also includes a set of impact practices that promote the translation of research into impacts.

The Framework is intended to be used as a guide for medical research institutes to plan for, track, understand and communicate the impact of your research. It does not need to be applied in its entirety and can be customised as appropriate for the needs of your organisation and the types of research you conduct.

The indicators included in the Framework can be used at different stages on the impact pathway to demonstrate progress towards impact or having achieved impact, and organisations may use various methods to verify evidence of achieving these as relevant to them.  Not all the indicators included in the Framework may be applicable for your organisation or type of research, and indicators that were excluded as a result of the project’s Delphi process may still be of relevance to your institute.

The Framework is not intended to be used as a prescriptive set of measures and AAMRI member medical research institutes will not be asked to report on the indicators included.

The AAMRI Research Impact Group

AAMRI member institutes involved in the Working Group:

  • Children’s Medical Research Institute
  • Mater Research
  • Murdoch Children’s Research Institute
  • Telethon Kids Institute
  • QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute
  • Diamantina Institute (within Translational Research Institute)

Project Advisory Group:

  • Children’s Cancer Institute
  • Hunter Medical Research Institute
  • Menzies Institute for Medical Research (UTAS)
  • South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute
  • The George Institute for Global Health
  • WEHI (The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research)

Additional Technical Experts:

Anne-Maree Dowd (CSIRO), Abigail Powell (Centre for Social Impact), Matt Bevan (Social Impact Measurement Network Australia), Adam Kamenetzky (National Institutes for Health Research, (UK).

Contact

For more information about the project, please email researchimpact@aamri.org.au.