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NCRM’s Impact Assessment Report

Since 2020, NCRM has been assembling rich evidence of its many impacts, by collecting and analysing various quantitative, qualitative, digital and mixed data, using multiple, creative methods.

This evidence-gathering work has been informed by NCRM’s Impact Strategy Framework - which sets out a theory of change and hypotheses for impact from training and capacity building (TCB) activities; and by its Impact Action Plans, which outline NCRM’s plans for how it will evidence during its years of TCB funding.

NCRM’s Impact Assessment Report brings together these data and analyses to provide an overall picture of NCRM’s impacts and their reach and significance. The report demonstrates how NCRM has:

  • Reached thousands of researchers from different sectors, disciplines and career stages
  • has promoted and responded with agility to innovation
  • has built a strong brand and reputation as a central provider of high-quality TCB in social science research methods in the UK
  • demonstrated its strategic leadership in the research methods and skills ecosystem.

Short and long-term impacts

The Impact Assessment Report also demonstrates how NCRM’s TCB activities have generated short- and long-term impacts on individuals, organisations, the research community and the research methods ecosystem. It provides evidence that:

  1. NCRM is a central provider of inclusive, accessible and affordable training, events and resources on social science research methods in the UK.

  2. NCRM is unique in its adaptability and agility in meeting the range of different social science research methods TCB needs across and beyond the UK.

  3. NCRM equips and supports researchers from across the career life-course to translate methodological expertise into real-world benefits.

  4. NCRM is a cohesive force – taking up a central role and position within the social sciences research methods landscapes, offering training that crosses and bridges methodological divides.

  5. NCRM’s role and position provides a strong contribution to institutional, interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral capacity building, innovation and the shaping of future research methods and skills in the UK and beyond, providing also strategic leadership.

  6. NCRM’s provision of high-quality, accessible research methods training is a benchmark for excellence and supports the ESRC and UKRI ambition to build world-class research capability.

Read the Impact Assessment Report