Why Researchers Need More Than Research Skills

Researcher engagement does not happen by chance—it requires intentional capability development, institutional support and opportunities to learn through practice. In this session, Professor Carolin Plewa will share insights from designing and leading the Developing Positive Partnerships programme, which has supported early- and mid-career researchers to better understand external stakeholders, communicate their expertise and build productive relationships beyond academia. The discussion will explore what universities can do to embed engagement capabilities into researcher development, how experiential learning helps build confidence, and why these skills are increasingly essential for research excellence, collaboration and societal impact.

This Fireside Chat will focus on:

1. Why partnership and engagement capabilities are becoming an essential part of researcher development.
2. How universities can better prepare researchers to build meaningful relationships with industry, government and community partners.
3. What makes researcher development programmes effective in building confidence, capability and long-term engagement behaviours.
4. How institutions can embed engagement and societal impact into researcher development strategies.

Professor Carolin Plewa is Pro Vice-Chancellor – Graduate Research Training at Adelaide University, where she also serves as Professor of Marketing and Stakeholder Engagement. An internationally recognised researcher in university–business engagement, stakeholder engagement and value co-creation, her work focuses on strengthening collaboration between universities and external partners while developing the capabilities researchers need to create societal impact. She led the development of the Developing Positive Partnerships programme, which has since expanded across the university and been piloted at the University of New South Wales. Carolin also serves as the inaugural Co-Chair of the UIIN Australia Chapter and has contributed extensively to research and policy on engaged and entrepreneurial universities.

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.