​Act on acceptance

Have you seen the ‘Act on acceptance’ banner on the Staff Intranet? 

Noticed an ‘Act on acceptance’ roadshow in your campus foyer, staffed by the Learning and Research Services team and Campus Support staff? 

Wondering what it is? Well, ‘Act on acceptance’ is a new campaign promoting one simple, easy message to all our researchers – as soon as they learn their work has been accepted for publication, deposit it in the repository​. We want to help researchers make sure their work is eligible for inclusion in the next Research Excellence Framework (REF)​. This helps the University meet one of the Strategy 2020 objectives of growing the University’s REF submissions. The rules for making research eligible for the next REF change twice in 12 months so there is a real danger that if a deadline is missed, work will not be eligible.

Foyer roadshows were held on all campuses. Sheena Moffat, Carol Wilkie and I were at Sighthill on 6th April, Keith Walker, Cathryn Buckham, Leslie Addison and I were at Craiglockhart on 11th April and Marian Kirton, Lyn Gibson and I were at Merchiston on 19th April. We had good quality conversations with over 40 researchers about their research work, the Repository and making sure their work is eligible for the next REF.    

We handed out Act on acceptance flyers promoting the page on the Open Access blog, Repository 2015 statistics demonstrating to researchers the value of depositing their work, the Open Access blog and SHERPA RoMEO and JULIET leaflets. We also handed out badges! Act on acceptance information is displayed on the digital signage screens on all campuses. The Act on acceptance campaign will be continuing in the run-up to the next REF.

Joyce Templeton