Increase the impact of your research
It is important to be able to show how KTH’s research, education and collaboration have a positive impact on wider society. An active focus on societal impact can lead to new collaborations and more grant approvals, while also strengthening KTH’s brand.
Societal impact, generally referred to simply as ‘impact’, is fundamentally about influencing, changing and being of benefit to society and the wider world. The impact of KTH’s research, education and collaboration is visible in all kinds of areas, including economics, culture, services, quality of life and the environment, human behaviour, health and attitudes, and also in the way it influences policies and processes.
There are several external factors that make societal impact particularly important today, including:
- Requirements from research financiers to describe the impact in funding applications.
- Higher international requirements to show the impact and benefit of research and education.
- Politicians in Sweden want to see that tax-funded allocations are of benefit to society.
There are many advantages to highlighting and striving to increase impact, both for KTH as an organisation and for you as a researcher.
- Being perceived as a relevant, tone-setting university, both nationally and internationally.
- Being a strong competitor in applications for grants and external funding.
- Increasing engagement in and awareness of KTH’s degree programmes and courses in the private and public sector.
- Increasing opportunities for collaboration, both internally between research and education, and with external parties.
- Strengthening KTH’s brand and enhancing KTH’s attractiveness to prospective students and employees.
Tools for impact
As an individual researcher, there are several ways to increase the impact of your work. Three specific ways to get started are:
Contact
KTH has an appointed coordinator for impact. There are also appointed roles at a local level – impact leaders who coordinate efforts at each school – and at least one communicator connected to impact.
Coordinator
