APLU & Pew Release Report on Fostering a Public Impact Research Ecosystem

APLU and The Pew Charitable Trusts released a new report on fostering a Public Impact Research (PIR) Ecosystem. The report is based on a workshop that convened multiple disciplinary organizations and agencies and focused on building shared understanding around PIR.

The effort is based on a cross-sector convening of those involved in the research enterprise and emphasizes that all stakeholders should share and align efforts to empower Public Impact Research.  The report recommends that:

• Advocate for PIR: Advocate for national and international policies that recognize and incentivize Public Impact Research as a critical component of the research enterprise.
  
• Develop Shared Understanding: Co-develop a core set of PIR values that can be interpreted and applied by disciplinary societies, institutions of higher education, college and university departments, publishers, funders, and policymakers.
  
• Envision New Funding Practices: Strengthen innovative funding models to support PIR sustainably across the entire research cycle, including longer grant periods, targeted programs, and resources for both researchers and community partners.
  
• Create Quality Standards: Develop rubrics, definitions, and ethical standards for quality PIR that are adaptable across sectors and disciplines, broadening the definition of research excellence to include public use and community engagement.
  
• Align Research Incentives: Develop a shared vision for aligning research incentives across sectors and institutions, including recognizing PIR projects and scholars. Establish systems to track and evaluate PIR impact over time using quantitative and qualitative metrics.

Learn more about Public Impact Research and read the full report.