Concordia's Office of the Vice President, Research Innovation and Impact (OVPRII) has launched a new web page for its Pathways to Impact initiative, an ongoing collaboration with units from across the university designed to help researchers strengthen their research impact.
The initiative is producing a central, online hub of services and tools to help users generate impact across the research lifecycle and connect them with existing institutional expertise. The web page represents a first version of this resource.
Supports are organized around seven themes (or "pathways"):
- Academic Scholarship
- Research Creation
- Community Engagement
- Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Commercialization
- Public Policy and
- Communications.
"Concordia researchers are generating knowledge with immense potential to make a difference in people's lives," says Emad Shihab, associate vice-president of research, impact, entrepreneurship and policy. "Research impact can take many forms and might influence public policy, support community organizations, drive innovation, improve professional practice or help address social and environmental challenges."
"This initiative reflects the university's values and ambition to be a leader in this area. Pathways to Impact is giving our researchers tools to make impact a normal, rewarded part of the research process," he says.
A clear entry point
Shihab says this new offering reflects broader shifts in how research is valued, supported and connected to society. These shifts include a growing emphasis on research that responds to urgent societal challenges, changing expectations from funders, and more inclusive and responsible approaches to research assessment.
To support researchers in meeting these challenges, the collaborators behind the initiative curated consultations, workshops, resources and practical tools designed to help with impact planning, relationship building, and strengthening submissions to funding competitions.
The Pathways initiative aims to support a research culture where impact goals are identified early and access to support is available from the beginning of a project, Shihab explains.
"The platform provides clear entry points for researchers to access these supports at different stages of their work, from developing an idea, actively working on a project or reaching the end stages of their activity," he says.
Feedback welcome
The Pathways to Impact web platform will continue to evolve based on community feedback and new offerings. Researchers are invited to offer feedback in person, by email, through service surveys, or through the survey on the Pathways platform.
Current participants in the Pathways to Impact offerings include 4TH SPACE, University Communication Services, the Office of Community Engagement, the SHIFT Centre for Social Transformation, the Concordia Library, the District 3 innovation hub, V1 Studio, and the Office of Research, with more planned to join over time.
Explore the Pathways to Impact hub and move your research towards impact.
