Research environment, synergy and major initiatives
Bringing together expertise and diverse academic perspectives in this way increases opportunities for funding and partnerships and strengthens the ability to tackle important research challenges facing society today.
The Major Initiatives team’s primary aim is
- Make it easier for researchers to build programs of research, find funding and impact pathways
- Set researchers up for success using collaborative methodologies, informed by science, that deliver outcomes
Major Initiatives help researchers, Faculties and Institutes develop research programs of scale, relevant to the needs of partners and with clear idea of vision, mission and scope. The team collaborates across Advancement, the Strategic Partnerships Office and other divisions to develop pathways for research funding, seeking to ensure that programs can be seeded, nurtured and embedded into the needs of their partners and their end-users.
The Major Initiatives Framework
A strategic resource, the Major Initiative’s team works with, and across, Faculties and Institutes to selectively target and develop research programs as a multi-year journey to success.
Some demonstrable KPIs need to be in place before the Major Initiatives team will work with researchers. These include:
Leadership
- Is there clear leadership to drive the program
- Is the team interested in working collaboratively
Capacity
- Is there time and commitment towards the initiative?
- Are there specific deadlines or milestones that the team will work towards?
Strategic Alignment
- Is there a University strategic imperative?
- Does the work lend itself to a program?
- Does the Head of School/Director and/or the Associate Dean/Deputy Dean (Research) support the program?
How does the Major Initiatives team work ?
If your initiative is embraced by the Faculty/Institute and the Major Initiatives team begins to work with you, it will broadly frame your program into streams, seeking to help you develop and grow the program so that you can seek funding opportunities for sustainability and momentum.
The table below helps define the streams by the Major Initiatives team will most likely work with you.
| Accelerate | Develop | Slow burn | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Timeframe to funding | 6 – 12 months | 1 - 3 years | 3+ years |
| Description | Well-defined scope, clear objectives, necessary groundwork has been completed, work towards application. | Core concepts and goals have been established, focus on addressing outstanding issues and solidifying the capability/program foundation. | In ideation, where the primary focus is on exploring innovative concepts. High levels of uncertainty and significant foundational research and development required. |
| Focus on | Project plans, capability gaps, referrals to other UQ teams, and project simulation for risks. | Vision, mission, strategy, communication tools, funding options, collaborations. | Concepts/goals, connections, engagement and collaboration between stakeholders interested. |
Development Pathway
The Major Initiatives team will be seeking to help you intentionally develop programmatic research that holistically considers people, partners and program. Some of those key features are listed below.
- Research team: aligned, collaborative, eager
- Partners: integrated, co-design, co-execution and cultivated
- Consumer/community involvement: for end-user translation, adoption, implementation and benefit
- Governance: clear, aligned and considered
- Vision/Mission: clearly articulated and understood
- Funding options: multi-targeted and can be grown
- Scope and Scale: is understood and enable the vision and mission to be achieved
- Research Design: solid, achievable, intentional outcomes
- Risk: considered and mitigated
- Infrastructure: does it exist and can it be feasibly used.