#168 Developing a Strategy - Research Manager Shorts Series
#168 Key take-aways
- Establishing research management as a strategic function within the organization.
- Identifying internal pain points and aligning solutions with institutional goals.
- Building awareness and buy-in from leadership through evidence and communication.
- Developing structured, sustainable support systems tailored to researcher needs.
Together with Stephanie Harfensteller, EU Research Coordinator at FIR an der RWTH Aachen, I am launching the first episode of the Research Manager Shorts Series. In this first one we discuss how research support units can be strategically developed within institutions. The conversation explores what it takes to set up and scale research management—from convincing leadership to creating internal awareness of the function’s value. Stephanie shares her experience establishing the research management function at research institute, how she identified internal "pain points," and how she framed these challenges as strategic opportunities that aligned with broader institutional goals.
The episode highlights how professionalizing research support is not only about writing better proposals but about improving long-term sustainability, compliance, and impact. Topics include building internal visibility, tailoring support to researchers' actual needs, and working across silos to embed research strategy into the daily rhythm of the organization. Whether you're starting from scratch or scaling an existing support structure, this episode offers practical insights on transforming research management into a strategic asset.
Time codes:
00:02:45 Introduction
00:05:46 First motivation
00:09:48 Management commitment
00:14:07 Considerations before starting - Motivation
00:22:25 Considerations before starting - Challenges
00:28:32 Connection with overall organizational strategy
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