The ESRC’s impact evaluation work helps to demonstrate the broader contribution of social science to society and the economy. This forms part of our strategic emphasis on impact assessment along with our other work on evaluation and international benchmarking.

Analyses and future directions

Two summaries of our impact evaluation work to date have been produced, the first ‘Taking Stock: a summary of ESRC's work to evaluate the impact of research on policy and practice’ (PDF, 252Kb) covers the history of the ESRC’s activity and its work in this area up to February 2009. The second, ‘Branching-Out: New Directions in Impact Evaluation from the ESRC’s Evaluation Committee’ (PDF, 176Kb) reviews the latest findings from the Council’s Impact Evaluation Programme and proposes further activity to be taken forward.

Scoping events

The first ESRC sponsored event in this area was an International Symposium (PDF, 280Kb) held in May 2005 which explored recent issues and developments in the theory and practice of impact assessment.

We held a further workshop in March 2007 (PDF, 187Kb) to discuss the development of methods for assessing the impact of social science research.

More recently, we held a workshop in December 2010 (PDF, 143Kb) with the aims of disseminating the latest findings from our Impact Evaluation Programme and to discuss possible new activity to drive the area forward.