Impact Literacy: Creating the Mindset, Skills and Systems for Research Impact

Creating meaningful research impact requires more than excellent research—it requires universities to build the right mindset, capabilities and systems that enable impact to happen. Join Dr Julie Bayley, Director of Research Impact Development at the University of Lincoln and a leading voice on impact literacy, for a conversation on how institutions can move beyond compliance-driven approaches and embed impact into everyday research practice. Drawing on her extensive experience in impact strategy, researcher development and REF, Julie will share practical perspectives on creating impact-literate universities that empower researchers, strengthen external engagement and deliver lasting societal value.

This Fireside Chat will focus on:

1. What impact literacy is and why it is becoming a strategic priority for universities.
2. How universities can create the mindset, skills and systems that enable meaningful research impact.
3. Practical approaches to supporting researchers in embedding impact throughout the research lifecycle.
4. How institutions can move beyond impact as a compliance exercise and build a culture where research delivers lasting societal value.

Dr Julie Bayley is Director of Research Impact Development at the University of Lincoln, where she leads the institution’s research impact strategy, researcher development and REF impact portfolio. She is also Director of the Lincoln Impact Literacy Institute and Director of Impact for the Eleanor Glanville Centre. A Chartered Health Psychologist with more than 20 years of experience in applied research and evaluation, Julie is internationally recognised for her work on impact literacy and creating people-centred approaches to research impact. She is the author of Creating Meaningful Impact: The Essential Guide to Developing an Impact Literate Mindset and recipient of the 2022 Advancing Research Impact in Society (ARIS) Impact Innovations Award. 

A UIIN Fireside Chat is a 30-minute interview session between a UIIN facilitator and an external industry expert on a high-level topic. Participants will leave with insights and inspiration after hearing the experiences and perspectives of the guest speaker, and have the opportunity to ask questions during the session. Fireside Chats are also recorded for UIIN podcasts and are available after the session.