Cross-cutting research themes at Sussex

Why should Sussex adopt the concept of cross-cutting research themes?

I have been asked this question on a number of occasions during the past 3 or 4 weeks so I thought I had better come up with a simple aide-memoire as to why I, at least, think it is a good idea. If you agree, you might find this slightly simplistic approach helpful when discussing the concept with others, both in and outside the University.

I would like to suggest that the key issues can be encapsulated as ‘The 3 i’s’:
Identity, Innovation and Income

Identity: I believe that the establishment of 4 or 5 major research themes for the University will help underscore Sussex’s research identity nationally and internationally. For me the themes should ‘big’ but not grandiose, and should be addressing major global issues by involving researchers from all of our major disciplines - arts and humanities, social sciences and science. The key questions which these themes attempt to answer should comprehensible to everyone. The themes will enable all of us to provide a brief but comprehensive answer to the question....’And what research is Sussex known for?’

Innovation: Sussex has a record of being at the leading edge of a number of research domains. Some of this innovation has arisen through the long tradition of inter-disciplinary working. The new research themes, in my view, will thrive in this environment and we should seek new ways to bring scholars from different disciplines together to fire up the process which will create the themes. Innovation through inter-disciplinarity! Another ‘i’, if you like!

Income: Sussex urgently needs to increase its research grant and contract income to ensure that it regains its rightful place in peer group league tables. I believe that the new themes will increase research capacity in both a virtual and a real sense. I predict that ‘big research groups’ with ‘big ideas about solving big questions’ will attract ‘big money’. I accept that ‘bigger is not always better’ but there are plenty of examples particularly in science and social science that large grants often go to large research consortia.

Please join the process to define the research themes and populate them with good ideas.

Contact Bob Allison, PVC Research to find out how you and your group can contribute.