UK survey of academics 2015

Research is changing. New technology brings increased computational power and virtual representation of physical objects, allowing us to pose and answer previously unimaginable research questions. Big data can be mixed, linked and mined to reveal new unsuspected connections. Enhanced connectivity allows us to collaborate beyond traditional geographic and disciplinary boundaries. Funders demand greater demonstration of impact and engagement with non-academic communities and audiences. As research changes, so do researchers. Their behaviour and expectations shift, evolving to take advantage of new opportunities or responding to changing requirements from their funders or institutions. The researcher of today works in a very different environment to that of even just 20 years ago. Those, either on or above campus, whose role it is to support researchers need to understand these changes, adapt the services they offer to new requirements and anticipate future changes. In an ideal world they would even develop these services before the researchers realised they needed them! This report is the second Ithaka S+R/ Jisc / RLUK survey of UK academics. It asks of the UK research community their views on resource discovery, their use of these resources (online and digital), attitudes to research data management, and much more. It provides a powerful insight into how researchers view their own behaviour and the research environment within the UK today.