An investigation of the development and management of university research institutes

Multidisciplinary research institutes provide universities with an important vehicle to conduct research across traditional disciplines, and this can be an attractive capability for external funding bodies. However, there can be particular challenges, including managing different reporting lines, the need for effective research coordination, and the development of collaborations across institutes. These issues are especially relevant in the early development stages of institutes. Consequently, this paper will describe a case study investigation of the Institute of Shock Physics, a university research institute at Imperial College London in the United Kingdom. The case study will provide a discussion of the key strands of management activity that have been pursued in the first two years of operations for the Institute, together with details on how any difficulties were overcome. Management areas discussed in the case study include collaboration development, financial program management, research project management, program reporting and governance, and risk and safety management. This analysis will be carried out in the context of supporting research from the literature and through building on the findings from the case study a set of recommendations have been formulated on developing and implementing management systems for new research institutes