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Building on the success of last year's research module "RM8012-Research Impact: Bridging the gap between rigour and relevance," Kemmy Business School (KBS) will be offering this module again in the Autumn 2025/26 semester as part of its Structured PhD programme. This module will, however, be available to all PhD students.

Delivered by Prof Helena Lenihan, this module aims to enhance research students’ understanding of the theory, practice, and evaluation of impactful research (both within and beyond academia). The module will explore how quality research has the potential to have significant real impacts (beyond academia) on industry, the economy and society more broadly. 

Given the high demand we experienced last year, we will operate on a first-come, first-served basis for registration.

Lectures will be held in person, as scheduled below, and the module will be taken on a pass/fail basis.

• 4^th September 2025   10:00 -1:00 p.m.
• 2^nd  October 2025        9:30 - 1.00 p.m.
• 22^nd  October 2025     9:30 - 1.00 p.m.
• 30^th  October 2025      9:30 - 1.00 p.m.
• 6^th November 2025    9:30 - 1.00 p.m.
• 12^th November 2025  9:30 - 1.00 p.m.
• 19^th November 2025  9:30 - 1.00 p.m.

To enrol please complete the and return it to Rebecca.Gachet@ul.ie

RM8012-Research Impact: Bridging the gap between rigour and relevance

Module Leader: Prof Helena Lenihan

Research students across all disciplines can benefit from a greater understanding of the theory, practice and evaluation of excellent research with impact. An understanding of how quality research has the potential to have significant real impacts (beyond academia) on industry, the economy and society more broadly is imperative for reasons of advocacy, accountability, analysis and allocation.  Students taking this module will study research impact from both ex-ante and ex-post perspectives and will be exposed to a range of concepts and methods to engage their thinking about research in terms of rigour and relevance.  Students will be provided with real life experiences of the opportunities and challenges when engaging with research excellence with impact.  As part of the module, in-class discussions and exchanges will also turn to issues of research impact ‘within academia’ (research excellence including peer-reviewed publications, targeting journals, responsible use of metrics etc) and one’s own discipline norms.  

This module aims to prepare students to design their own research impact pathway and engage in ‘impact by design’ through stakeholder analysis (ex-ante).  Understanding and designing a research impact pathway can inform and drive successful research collaborations and eventual outcomes.  Students will be exposed to the importance and benefits associated with embedding impact into their research by exploring routes to impact throughout their research career, whether in academia or other private and/or public sectors. Students will also develop strategies to communicate their impact.   All funding agencies nowadays place great emphasis on issues of research impact. 

If you have any questions or would like more information about the module, please feel free to contact Rebecca.Gachet@ul.ie