This post originally appeared in the Association of Research Managers and Administrators (ARMA) insights magazine on 12th December 2024.

During 2022 and 2023, the Campaign for Science and Engineering (CaSE)’s Discovery Decade programme carried out a landmark study of public opinions towards R&D as a political and societal issue.  

That polling found that just 44% of people recognised the acronym “R&D” and knew what it meant, two-thirds don’t feel well informed about the R&D in their local area, and focus group participants described a narrow view of the R&D sector – largely focused on consumer technology and medical research. 

CaSE research confirms that the R&D sector is hindered because it is not a priority in people’s lives and communities; a fragmented identify as a sector makes it less than the sum of its parts. This is where the Research Develop Thrive (RDT) campaign comes in. 

Our aim is to anchor R&D in communities by demonstrating its place and purpose, making it accessible and relevant – a source of opportunity in the local community. 

Research Develop Thrive 

CaSE is using the RDT badge – and encouraging others to do so – to give R&D a more unified public identity and draw together the strands of the sector. 

The campaign builds on our accumulated evidence, and focusses on four broad framings that we know boost support for R&D: 

• Creating a better world for future generations 
• Bringing people, places and ideas together 
• Solving problems and expanding our knowledge 
• Educating and inspiring the next generation. 

Based on these connection points, Research Develop Thrive has eight variations, so it can be tailored to your specific work. For example, ‘Research Develop Here’ could be used to highlight R&D that has a community-focused impact; ‘Research Develop Solve’ could be used for a project designing green tech solutions. 

Wear the badge 

However, if we want to succeed in raising the profile of our sector’s work, we need to mobilise all parts of the R&D community. Research managers and administrators can play a vital role by bringing the concept of Research Develop Thrive into everything they do. When planning a new project, ask yourself, how am I going to promote this work when it’s done? Look at the variants available through RDT and ask yourself, which word works for this project? Can you bring place and purpose into your project and make it more relevant to the public and politicians? After all, we need their support to attract more Government funding. 

There is a good story to be told about R&D, the work the sector does and the results of its labours. But we need your help to tell it. 

Our research has shown that solving the problems of today and tomorrow is important to the public and we want to demonstrate what the R&D sector does to tackle these issues.  

We want to create the opportunity for organisations to work with us, and each other, to make sure that everyone knows the role R&D plays in life. 

It can be as simple as including the logo on your promotional materials and advertising alongside your own branding. Alternatively, you can use the campaign toolkit to create assets for a specific research project, using colours and imagery to tell the story.  

RDT – in action 

Research Develop Thrive is already in action as part of a joint project with Airbus, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Stevenage Borough Council. This billboard campaign at Stevenage and King’s Cross train stations identifies Stevenage as a destination for cutting-edge innovation. It combines locally tailored messaging, developed in partnership with CaSE, and the Research Develop Thrive badge to help convey a clear and compelling narrative about the role of R&D across the town. 

R&D is perhaps not as high-profile as it needs to be to secure public and political support. 

As visual representation of the place and purpose of R&D, Research Develop Thrive can help our sector convey itself as a connected community of researchers and innovators. By using the campaign badge, you’ll be helping tell a better story about the R&D sector.  

We want to take sector advocacy to the next level. We hope you’ll join us. 

For more information, visit Home – Research Develop Thrive or contact CaSE on rdt@sciencecampaign.org.uk