Real Impact
Awards

Submission form questions

1. The background
   Briefly explain why you or your team are committed to driving the impact agenda within your research environment (max 200 words)
2. The project
   Outline what needed to change and why to embed impact into your research environment and/or drive an impact culture (max 500 words)
3. The implementation
   Explain your approach and why it is innovative and meets the unmet needs specific to your research environment (max 200 words)

Judging process

The judging process for this award will be completed in two parts.

Stage 1 - All eligible entries will be shared with the allocated judges for this category and scored based on the criteria below. A shortlist of entries (finalists) will be decided based on the highest scores received. All judging is anonymous and only your written entry and career stage are shared with the judging panel.

Stage 2 – The finalists have the opportunity to provide further information and evidence based on the judges feedback. There will be a second judging session where all additional information and scorecard from the first round will be discussed and from this a winner and two highly commended entries will be decided.

Judging criteria

Clarity: How clearly has the nominee(s) explained their commitment and approach to driving the impact agenda through their entry?* (10 points)

Focus: How well has the need for change, and the tangible benefits as a result of these changes, been explained?* (20 points)

Innovation: How innovative is their approach to embedding impact or influencing an impact culture within their research setting?* (10 points)

*Submissions will also be judged on how clear the entries are written, and how engaging and free from jargon they are for a non-specialist audience.

Prizes

One overall individual or team/institution winner plus two highly commended

Winner(s) will receive:

• Their impact commitment celebrated through a case study written by our specialist editors; each case study will form part of our Real Impact Awards Showcase publication, a copy of which will be provided to each winner and highly commended entry
• An invitation to a celebration event in 2023
• A certificate and physical award
• Inclusion in a global social campaign once the Showcase Book has been finalised, which will put the spotlight on each of the winner’s stories and their commitment to impact
• The opportunity to publish their research via a relevant channel

Highly commended will receive:

• Their impact commitment celebrated through a case study written by our specialist editors; each case study will form part of our Real Impact Awards Showcase publication, a copy of which will be provided to each winner and highly commended
• A certificate
• Additional publicity across global Emerald marketing channels

2022/3 award winner

Left to right: Professor Levente Szasz, Ottó Csíki, Bálint Zsolt Nagy, Béla-Gergely Rácz, Babes-Bolyai University, Romania  |  Csaba Bálint, National Bank of Romania and Babes-Bolyai University, Romania  |  Dénes Csala, Lancaster University, UK, and Babes-Bolyai University, Romania

Romanian Economic Monitor, Babeș-Bolyai University, Romania

Misinformation and fake news were common problems during the coronavirus pandemic. In Romania, these challenges kept reappearing with increasing intensity as newer waves of the COVID virus hit the region.

Several researchers from Romania's Babeș-Bolyai University recognised an urgent need for accurate information to reach decision-makers quickly and effectively.

Combining cutting-edge data visualisation techniques with economic analysis and forecasting tools, the team developed a daily-updated online portal and social media interface named the Romanian Economic Monitor.

Read the full case study