The contribution of research to economic development is widely recognised at national and regional levels and this has been one of SQW’s specialist areas since the firm was established. In the UK, and many other countries, the higher education sector has a key role in both undertaking research and training researchers and we have a similarly long established track record of work for, and with, the sector. Higher education institutions, however, have a much wider role than research alone. They contribute to the social inclusion agenda through widening participation and they have assumed increasing prominence in knowledge transfer initiatives in recent years, while retaining the key function of producing highly trained graduates and post graduates. Our work with the sector reflects these roles and encompasses teaching and learning, organisation and strategy development and planning for new and extended provision, as well as research.
Our clients are diverse and include: government departments in the UK and abroad; the higher education funding and research councils; international agencies and individual HEIs and public sector research establishments. We have undertaken feasibility studies and evaluations of a wide range of policies and programmes, advised on knowledge transfer and commercialisation strategies, assessed student demand for various forms of HE provision and advised on processes for allocating funds.
Examples of SQW projects
Evaluation of knowledge transfer programmes
The Office of Science and Technology provides funding through the science budget for a number of programmes designed to promote knowledge transfer from higher education institutions and public sector research establishments. These are: the Higher Education innovation Fund; Science Enterprise Challenge; University Challenge; PSRE Fund and the Cambridge Massachusetts Institute. SQW was commissioned to conduct a two phase evaluation of the programmes, through analysis of monitoring reports and interviews with HEIs, businesses and other stakeholders.
Option appraisal for the provision of higher education in Herefordshire, Powys and Shropshire
SQW was commissioned by HEFCE (with the HE Funding Council for Wales, Advantage West Midlands, Government Office for the West Midlands and the Shropshire and Staffordshire Strategic Health Authority) to undertake a comprehensive study of actual and potential demand for higher education provision based in Herefordshire, Powys and Shropshire, and to provide an appraisal of the options for meeting that demand. Our report was used to make recommendations to the funding bodies on options for improving access to and the range and quality of HE opportunities in the English and Welsh Marches.
Review of Universities UK member services
SQW was commissioned to undertake a review of the services UUK provides for its membership. Members are the Vice Chancellors of UK universities, and the review examined the range of services provided (which include lobbying, policy monitoring, information and development, sharing sectoral good practice, and conferences). Cost and value for money were also assessed. Recommendations were produced to improve services quality and enhance value for money, and additional potentially profitable services were identified.
Specialist review and evaluation of the Higher Education Partnership for Sustainability
The Higher Education Partnership for Sustainability was an initiative funded by UK higher education funding councils between 2000 and 2003 to increase the engagement of the Higher Education sector with the sustainable development agenda. Two Years on, HEFCE commissioned SQW to carry out an independent review and evaluation of the programme with two broad aims: to measure the relative strengths and weaknesses of the HEPS programme to achieve change for sustainable development in the HE sector, and to inform HEFCE’s strategic review of sustainable development activity within the sector.
Evaluation of the Teaching Funding Method
The TFM is the method through which HEFCE determines the allocation of teaching funds to higher education in England. In late 2004, HEFCE initiated a review of the TFM which was necessary for a variety of reasons, especially the introduction of variable fees from 2006. SQW was commissioned to undertake the initial contribution to the review which involved an evaluation of the current TFM. Our remit was to evaluate the extent to which the current TFM has met HEFCE’s stated intentions, identify and evaluate the extent to which the current method has produced any unintended and/or undesirable effects on the sector, and comment on any other issues arising in relation to the operation of the method that may be relevant to the Council’s future policy on the method. Our report was published along with HEFCE’s stated aims for the new TFM.
The impact of quality rated funding for research in English HEIs
HEFCE allocates around £1.25 bn of research funds to English HEIs. Almost all is distributed as Quality Related (QR) research funding on the basis of the Research Assessment Exercise results. The underlying rationale for QR funding is that it supports the research infrastructure, with project funding provided by other agencies and organisations. It also enables HEIs to pursue novel research lines which project funders might be unwilling to support. Over recent years, there had been several changes in research funding and we were commissioned by HEFCE to assess the impact of QR funding. The study involved a number of detailed case studies of the ways in which QR has been used and outputs and outcomes.