On what areas does APH want to create impact? What kind of practical support is provided? What do we except from our researchers? See our FAQ’s.
What is APH’s definition of impact?
The short and long term contribution of scientific research to changes in or development of societal sectors and to societal challenges (KNAW, Maatschappelijke impact in kaart, 2018). For APH these changes and developments concern the public health and healthcare sector. Some examples of societal challenges are the increasingly aging population in relation to quality of life, increasing mental health issues among young people, increasing proportion of the population struggling with chronic conditions due to an unhealthy lifestyle.
Is impact important for Amsterdam UMC and APH?
Yes, it is! Amsterdam UMC considers it a duty to contribute to (innovation in the field of) the major societal issues of today (see: Position Paper Valorization Amsterdam UMC: from academic knowledge to societal impact). For APH, societal impact aligns closely with her mission ‘health for all, powered by science’ and ‘think globally, act locally’: doing state-of-the-art research together with partners and making it available to improve public health and healthcare.
What do we expect from APH researchers when it comes to creating impact?
Given the scientific field of Public Health and its societal relevance, APH does expect all researchers to show ambition at their own level to explore and take up impact opportunities with the right support. Impact is a (formal) task of every knowledge institution and UMC. This does not mean that every researcher is equally responsible for impact. Policy makers see creating impact as a group responsibility. Arrangements must be made at research group or departmental level about how this task will be accomplished, just as it is for education and research. It is definitely not a one size fits all.
What kind of impact support can APH researchers get?
Support for researchers to create impact is embedded in the basic structure of the Amsterdam UMC and takes place in various ways through different departments: IXA, Research Grant Support, Legal Research Support, Communication and the Doctoral School. Researchers or research groups can contact the APH impact developer to explore the various options for support. The impact developer is also part of IXA, the valorization center of the 4 Amsterdam knowledge institutions. IXA offers workshops and trainings on creating Impact as well as information materials on topics as public-private partnerships and setting up spin-offs.
How to contact your APH impact support?
Contact the APH-IXA impact developer at the following email address d.scholler@amsterdamumc.nl (Diane Schöller) or send an e-mail to the general IXA email address info@ixa.nl. For workshops, trainings and information materials have a look at the IXA website www.ixa.nl
On what specific research areas APH wants to create impact?
APH has 9 research programs, impact takes place along these strategic research programs: Health Behaviors & Chronic Diseases, Mental Health, Societal Participation & Health, Global Health, Aging & Later Life, Quality of Care, Personalized Medicine, Methodology and Digital Health. Impact is intertwined with all missions, goals and research agendas of all 9 programs. A number of programs have already taken initiatives to promote impact such as providing funding for innovation, valorization, - and dissemination projects.
What impact strategies are there?
Amsterdam UMC developed 4 impact strategies and for APH all strategies are relevant:
- Inside-out: knowledge is created within the institute and transferred to society through private (often resulting in economic activities) and public parties (e.g. guidelines).
- Outside-in: research collaborations and contract research on translational clinical and/or public health research commissioned by external )public and private).
- Partnership: knowledge creation in research projects in collaboration with external parties and also in co-creation with end users, such as patients and care providers from primary and/or secondary care.
- Public (or societal) outreach: this involves all types of contributions to public debate and/or societal interest.
Who are APH’s key stakeholders for creating impact and how to involve them?
Government, public knowledge and healthcare institutions, companies and patient organizations are our key stakeholders. Groups who are working or involved with these stakeholders are citizens, patients, healthcare professionals, policy makers.
Engaging stakeholders and target groups is an absolute prerequisite to create impact in the public health domain. Within APH, a Knowledge Hub Implementation Science has been set up where knowledge and experience on stakeholder engagement is available Implementation Science Knowledge Hub - Overview (amsterdamumc.org).
What good impact examples do we have within APH and Amsterdam UMC?
Does APH use indicators to measure impact?
No, not yet. There are national and international discussions on how to measure impact and institutions are currently experimenting with it. Through research evaluations, the SEP, social relevance and impact is measured via narratives (qualitatively). APH will closely follow these discussions and also the developments within the Amsterdam UMC and the VU and UvA to be able to develop a suitable set of indicators.