Research Strategy
Our research strategy envisaged from 2007 onwards is to develop the international profile of our centres through further integration of externally-funded research with dedicated studentships which feeds into an outwardly-looking curriculum. Specifically, in the field of design innovation we will seek to collaborate nationally and internationally with colleagues in all disciplines to identify the changing commercial design requirements through knowledge and technology transfer and exchange. We also plan to consider and evaluate emotional factors that affect the design, consumption and end-of-use cycles. We will also seek to extend and expand international art practice and exchange through developing the International Project Space programme to become a major venue for Arts Council and other major sponsors. In conjunction with this we plan to expand our Fine Art Fellowship programme by seeking new sponsors and further integrating it with European exchange programmes.
Operation
BIAD’s current research strategy starting in 2001 and extending to 2010 comprises of six aims:
- To build on previous successful research achievements by developing further innovative and creative research practices.
- To develop areas those were just emerging prior to 2001.
- To enhance the value of our contributions to business and the community.
- To devise new ways of utilizing and developing formal research networks to consider knowledge transfer impact.
- To enter new areas such as sound and performance.
- To create a focus for inter-disciplinary work in the creative industries.
Sustainability
Sustainability of the research environment is a key concern of BIAD Research. Financial and technical support for researchers and the two BIAD research Centres has been developed with the help of funding from the university and the Research Assessment Exercise (since 1996). All of the income has enabled us to develop thematic research over a sustained period. This has led to national and international collaborative networks (Risk, KT, Jewellery, Fine Art exhibitions and PhD programmes).
Various mechanisms are used to develop the culture of research at BIAD:
- Seminars – fine art’s monthly seminar series for members to showcase and discuss work. CDCI held a national seminar in 2005 on design-related Knowledge Transfer Schemes which resulted in the creation of a KT Network programme in 2007 with colleagues in UWE, Ulster and Robert Gordon universities.
- Group Meetings – research Centre leaders hold regular meetings with their group members. Meetings are led by the research group co-ordinators in Birmingham Design Research Group, Jewellery Design Group, Media Group and Visual Communication Group, and twice-yearly meetings across the Centre are also organised.
- Newsletters – of the CDCI, dealing with the geographic separation of research sites.
- New Researchers Award – £1,000 awards offered to non research-active staff to engage in research.
- Start-Up Grants – £2,000 to develop applications to Research Councils and KTPs. Typically, researchers begin their careers with start-up grants and mentoring to produce their first outcomes. They are then encouraged to seek a range of small grants prior to becoming involved in major schemes.
- Symposia – fine art research has developed as a result of visiting practitioners, theorists and critics engaging in contemporary debate. Symposia have been a vital mechanism for research development in fine art. International colloquia in 2003 (Debenhams Art and Community Symposia), 2004 (IKON: Base and Awesome), 2005 (Art Becomes You) and 2006 (Tate Britain: New Thinking in Public Art) have brought eminent practitioners, theorists and critics from a variety of countries and disciplines to engage in contemporary debate. The results have been edited and disseminated widely by the Article Press.
- Higher Degree Student Programme – arts and design Masters and PhD students are integrated into the BIAD research culture. BIAD research staff have supervised 48 successful doctoral degrees, with a further 38 working towards completion.
- Exhibitions – research into curatorship has been made possible through BIAD’s International Project Space, and in association with Arts Council West Midlands.