Academic and Scientific Research, Transformation of Existing Academic and Scientific Research for the Society, Research Impact

Behind the Paper

I have been working in the higher technical institution for more than 25 years; prior to this, I was working for three years in the primary education sector and for three years in the district’s administration. From the higher technical institution, I am engaged in IT support to the institution, dealing with various academic and research matters, planning and coordination, university rankings, external peer review, compliance to the institute of eminence, and preparing a roadmap for the next 15 years to bring the institute at par with the world class, benchmarking, performance evaluation, strategy planning and quality assurance. When I was engaged in Times Higher Education Impact Rankings for our institution, I thought to lay out a conceptual framework pertaining to translating existing academic and scientific research and its outcomes for the benefit of society and other domains of interest entitled “A Conceptual Framework of Translating Existing Academic and Scientific Research from any Institution for the Benefit and Impact on Society”.

In this conceptual framework, I have tried to include mostly research activities being carried out in the higher education institutions. This will illustrate the scope of translating existing research from these activities in the form of the tangible and intangible support for the society.

Why have I thought to lay out the conceptual framework?

As the academic and scientific research in the education systems, from schooling to secondary, higher secondary, and tertiary education, is considered a driving force in the progress of society in countless areas. Definitely, the continuous exploration and discovery of academic and scientific research is becoming a driving force behind technological innovation, economic development, and the further improvement of the quality of life. The societal impact of academic and scientific research is profound and far-reaching. The benefits of academic and scientific research to communities are wide-ranging and powerful.

From the academic and scientific research that will impact society in improved quality of life, local economic development, evidence-based policies, access to knowledge and resources, environmental sustainability, social justice and inclusion, disaster preparedness, cultural enrichment and identity, and also in some other areas.

Specifically, the influence of academic and scientific research from higher education institutions plays very important roles across different dimensions of society, such as technological advancement, healthcare and medicines, education and knowledge expansion, environmental sustainability, economic impact, social and cultural development, and global collaboration. Keeping in mind the continuous evolution of academic and scientific research, its influence will not only improve knowledge, but it will also create a foundation for a more sustainable impact on society.

We can also say academic and scientific research and its societal impact are deeply interconnected, playing a vital role in shaping a better life. Academic and scientific research will not only expand the boundaries of human knowledge but also translate the outcomes into real-world benefits that will touch every aspect of life. Furthermore, this will cultivate critical thinking in decision-making and in empowering the society through education and awareness. As global challenges are becoming more complex, the societal value of academic and scientific inquiry is continuously growing and highly demanding.

Academic and scientific research will train individuals in the context of critical and analytical thinking, capability of evaluation, and judgment. When schools, universities, or any other workplace are engaged with academic and scientific research, they are encouraging surrounding people to think independently, encouraging them to evaluate and judge the situation in the righteous direction. This kind of thinking and judgment capability is essential not only for academics but also for everyday decision-making and participation in social life.

Academic and scientific research will also provide insights in guidance to personal, institutional, and governmental decisions.

In the context of personal decisions, academic and scientific research will empower each individual to make smarter and healthier decisions maker in everyday life.

In the context of institutional decisions, such as educational institutions using academic and scientific research to further improve teaching methods and curriculum design, scholarly work, proper allocation of budget, hiring policy for efficient human resources, research priorities, infrastructure development, institutional evaluation policy, reputation building, community engagement, sustainability, diversity, creating a vibrant academic teaching, learning, and research environment on campus, and then research excellence and finally impact on society. Might be in some other areas.

In the context of governmental decisions, the government is depending heavily on academic and scientific research to shape public policy and appropriately respond to national and global challenges. Economic studies will guide fiscal policy and job creation efforts. Environmental research will help in climate regulations, conservation programs, and disaster response and management. Public health research will prove to be a key in managing pandemics, vaccination campaigns, healthcare infrastructure, and finally providing healthy and efficient healthcare systems. By grounding decisions in evidence based on the academic and scientific research in the respective field, the government will better serve the citizens, allocate resources fairly, and implement the sustainable policies for the long-term benefits of the society.

Similarly, when communities have access to academic and scientific research outcomes, especially those academic and scientific research outcomes that involve or represent them, they acquire valuable resources to implement them for their own needs.

Community-based research, public health studies, or social science projects will highlight inequalities, amplify marginalized voices, and lead to positive change.

Finally, I hope the proposed conceptual framework and its implementation within the institution will amplify to serve the society in a more meaningful manner.