Five Year Strategic Framework
The centre for Postgraduate Medical Research and Education (CoPMRE) at Bournemouth University was opened by the Vice Chancellor in June 2007, uniting local clinicians with track records in translational research with an active academic community. The centre has been identified as a priority area for investment in the 2007 to 2012 University Strategic Plan. We have four University academics, one full time medical statistician and a Visiting Faculty that includes twenty local research active clinicians. There is dedicated space and administrative support.
We have identified six areas of research activity which fit within the Topic Specific Research Networks and plan to build these into programmes linking with the Local Research Networks, the Western Comprehensive Local Research Network and national and international partners. We are developing a clinical trials unit (CTU) with aspirations for full status as an UKCRC CTU.
In the School of Health and Social Care (HSC), we work with academics with expertise in qualitative research in nursing, midwifery, rehabilitation science, nutrition, community and social care. We actively promote inter-disciplinary projects using mixed methodologies. As a university centre we are seeking novel collaborations across the other Schools which include Design, Engineering and Computing (DEC); Business and Law; Media; Conservation Sciences; Services Management.
We have recently appointed two PhD students funded as part of the Strategic Plan by the University and will appoint one more annually for the next four years. In addition, members of the Faculty are supervising six PhD students registered elsewhere whom we are encouraging to join the Graduate School. There are research fellows, MSc students and research nurses funded from a variety of sources working in local Trusts who will become part of CoPMRE as we develop.
In five years, we aim to have six named and funded research programmes each led by a local Trust based clinician working at the University as part of their job plans. Local NHS Trusts will include time for University based research in the job descriptions for new consultant posts to enable our academic base to become embedded in the delivery of local healthcare. We will support leaders of the research groups identified here, actively seek novel projects across the University Schools, encourage national and international collaborations through the Clinical Networks, develop a UKCRN recognized CTU and grow the PhD community and support staff.
