Support for research

RCA staff and research students specialise in high-quality research in art and design that has substantial impact – in creative, cultural, social and economic terms – as well as global reach. We attract millions of pounds of funding each year in research grants and in collaborations with business, industry, public sector and community partners.

The RCA Research, Knowledge Exchange & Innovation (RKEI) Office provides support for the whole research and knowledge exchange lifecycle, from preparing a grant proposal or drawing up a contract (pre-award stage) to managing and reporting on a funded project (post-award stage). It leads the College’s preparation for REF, KEF and HEBCI submissions and other formal reporting.

The RKEI Office provides support and access to training for research career development, public engagement with research, research ethics, and research impact, as well as training for doctoral supervisors.

It also administers the College’s internal peer review process, its open access and research data management policies and processes, and its research integrity and research ethics policies and approval processes, as well as supporting online research ethics training for staff and research students.

Academic and research staff are able to apply to the RKEI Office for access to internal funding for pump-priming research projects and preparing REF outputs and impact case studies, while both staff and research students can receive support for travel to academic and professional conferences.

RKEI Office staff work closely with the Deans and academic and administrative staff in the RCA Schools, and with the Directors, research and administratrative staff of the RCA’s Research Centres.

Research & KE Office staff also administer the RCA’s UKRI studentship funding, including those from AHRC-funded doctoral training consortia of which the RCA is a member: the London Arts & Humanities Partnership (LAHP) and TECHNE; and the London Doctoral Design Centre (LDoc), led by the RCA.

The Director of Research & Innovation has oversight of the RCA’s research, knowledge exchange and innovation strategy and activity, including the work of the Research & KE Office, research centres including the Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design and the HEFCE-funded HELIX Centre, and InnovationRCA.

The work of the RKEI Office is supported the following cross-College committees:

Research & Innovation Committee, chaired by the Director of Research & Innovation, provides assurance to Council and Senate about the quality of the College’s Research Knowledge Exchange and Innovation (RKEI) environment, activity and strategy. The committee also monitors, reviews and supports the activities of RKEI.

REF Strategy Committee, chaired by the Director of Research & Innovation, responsible for leading the College’s REF strategy and preparations.

Ethics Committee, chaired by the Director of Research & Innovation and the Director of Academic Development, responsible for strategic oversight of the College’s research ethics policies and processes, and its research integrity management.

Find out more about our research strategy and ethics below:

• RCA Research, Knowledge Exchange and Innovation Strategy, 2016–21
• RCA Research Ethics Policy

Commitment to the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers

The Royal College of Art (RCA) fully supports the Principles of the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers, and we intend to uphold our obligations and responsibilities as a signatory. As the RCA’s research profile continues to expand through the activities of academic and research staff across its Schools and growing number of Research Centres, we are committed to providing a high-quality research environment that supports the career development of our researchers at all stages. The senior manager responsible for championing the Concordat and its principles across the RCA is Dr Emma Wakelin, Director of Research & Innovation, working with the College’s Research, KE & Innovation (RKEI) Strategy Committee. The RCA will work collectively and engage with initiatives to address systemic challenges in progressing towards a UK research system where researchers work in healthy and supportive environments. The RCA believes that researchers should be recognised and valued for their contributions in research and beyond, supported in their professional and career development, and equipped and empowered to succeed in their chosen careers.

More about the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers: https://www.vitae.ac.uk/policy/concordat/full