Research Institutes, Centres and Units (RICUs)

Annual Report Template

Content provided in reports to external funding agencies can be utilised to populate the template below to avoid duplication of effort.

1. Executive Summary (max. 1 page)

2. Operational Management and Governance

• Summarise overall strategic goals of the RICU. For each goal describe the activities relevant to its achievement, and relevant outputs to date.

• Describe the implementation of the RICU’s strategy and comment on progress compared with the vision of the centre and goal to be internationally competitive.

• Describe any amendments to the RICU governance structures (eg.changes to committee memberships) and the impacts of such changes (if any).

• Describe the RICU objectives for the 12 month reporting period. For each objective, describe activities relevant to their achievement, any issues, and relevant outputs.

• Summarize the objectives for the next 12 month reporting period.

• Summarize any operational and management issues that arose during the previous 12 month reporting period, including how these issues were managed, and outcomes of the response.

• Describe any instances of conflict of interest management, the nature of the conflict, parties involved, activities to manage the conflict, type of action/oversight implemented, and outcomes.

• Describe any issues of research integrity that have arisen and the steps being taken to address these issues.

•Describe current and potential future collaboration with relevant Schools and RICUs, both within the College in which the RICU is aligned and between Colleges. Summarise any relevant issues.

3. Resource Allocation —HR, Financial, Space

• Summarize the current employment status of all RICU staff. Note any relevant issues, responses applied, and the outcome of the responses.

• Provide analysis of RICU financial spend versus budget.

• Provide analysis of RICU space usage and requirements. Summarise any relevant issues, responses applied, and the outcome of the response.

4. Research Programme

• Provide highlights of the research carried out in the previous 12 months, and all key outputs(Ref. Appendix 1: Metrics Report).

• Summarise academic collaborations, activities resulting from these collaborations, and any related outcomes(Ref. Appendix 1: Metrics Report).

5. Industry Partner Engagement (where relevant)

• Summarise industry-related activities (eg. collaboration activity including funding secured, staff/student exchanges, service provision etc.) in the previous 12 months, outcomes of the activities, and any associated issues.

• Outline the RICU strategy for engaging new industry partners.

6. Non-Exchequer Funding/Funding Diversification

• Summarise successes in securing funding from non-exchequer sources (e.g. Horizon 2020)(Ref. Appendix 1: Metrics Report).

• Outline the RICU strategy for developing the non-Exchequer funding envelope, and comment on any recent changes to that strategy.

• Comment on successes versus targets set for the reporting period

7. Technology Transfer Activities

• Summarise RICU strategy to identify and capture IP, and describe any issues in the technology transfer process.

• Summarise technology transfer activities over the previous 12 month period(Ref. Appendix 1: Metrics Report).

8. Risk Management

• Describe any risks — research, academic or commercial — identified, and summarise actions being taken to mitigates against these risks.

• Describe any risk management actions previously undertaken, and comment on their effectiveness.

9. Education and Public Engagement

• Brief summary of key achievements relevant to the education and public engagement agenda of the RICUover the last 12 months.

• Please highlight any challenges encountered and how they were resolved.

10. Communications

• Brief overview of key national and international communications and marketing actions undertaken by the RICUin the previous 12 month period, including a brief overview of media coverage (international and national) obtained during the period.

• Please provide an outline/overview of key communication plans for next year.

APPENDIX 1:Metrics Report

  1. Journal, Conference, Book Publications (IRIS Report will suffice)
  2. No. Master Graduates
  3. No. PhD Graduates
  4. Funding Applications:

a)Sponsor/programme:

b)Exchequer/Non-Exchequer:

c)Role:

d)Project title:

e)Value:

f)Outcome:

  1. Funding Awards:

a)Sponsor/programme:

b)Exchequer/Non-Exchequer:

c)Project Role:

d)Partners (if any):

e)Project title:

f)Contract Value:

g)Duration:

  1. No Invention Disclosures filed
  2. No. Licence Agreements
  3. No. Patents filed
  4. No. Spin Out Companies created

UCC RSS Final VersionNovember 2015