Innovation in Higher Education Survey Information
Purpose of study:
This survey is being conducted by Maynooth University Innovation Lab (Mi:Lab) which is funded by the Higher Education Authority’s Innovation and Transformation Fund 2018. The purpose of the study is to understand the knowledge, behaviours and attitudes of Higher Education staff towards innovation and purposeful change. We define innovation as: “a new or improved product or process (or combination thereof) that differs significantly from the unit's previous products of processes and that has been made available to potential users (product) or brought into use by the unit" (OECD, Oslo Manual 2018).”
What will the study involve?
In this study, we are interested in hearing what you have to say about innovation and change as it exists within Higher Education and we invite you to complete our survey which should take no longer than 15 minutes to complete.
Who has approved this study?
This study has been reviewed and received ethical approval from Maynooth University Research Ethics committee. You may have a copy of this approval if you request it.
Why have you been asked to take part in this study?
You have been asked because you are a Maynooth University staff member.
Do you have to take part?
No, you are under no obligation whatsoever to take part in this research. However, we hope that you will agree to take part and give us some of your time to complete our survey. It is entirely up to you to decide whether or not you would like to take part. If you decide to do so, you will be asked to complete the consent section on the next page of this survey. If you decide to take part, you are still free to withdraw at any time without giving a reason and/or to withdraw your information up until such time as the research findings are published. A decision to withdraw at any time, or a decision not to take part, will not affect your relationships with Maynooth University.
What information will be collected?
The survey will ask you to answer some questions about the process of innovation and making changes to your work, research and/or teaching practices as a member of the Maynooth University staff community. You will be asked to give both qualitative and quantitative answers and will be provided with direction on each question screen.
Will your participation in the study be kept confidential?
Yes, all information that is collected about you during the course of the research will be kept confidential. No names will be identified at any time. All hard copy information will be held in a locked cabinet at the researchers’ place of work, electronic information will be encrypted and held securely on MU PC or servers and will be accessed only by Trevor Vaugh (Mi:Lab Principal Invesigator, Department of Design Innovation) Martin Ryan (Department of Design Innovation), Aldo Valencia (Department of Design Innovation), Threase Finnegan-Kessie (Mi:Lab Project Manager), Síofra Baker (Mi:Lab Research Assistant), Amalia White (Mi:Lab Research Assistant). No information will be distributed to any other unauthorised individual or third party. If you so wish, the data that you provide can also be made available to you at your own discretion.
‘It must be recognised that, in some circumstances, confidentiality of research data and records may be overridden by courts in the event of litigation or in the course of investigation by lawful authority. In such circumstances the University will take all reasonable steps within law to ensure that confidentiality is maintained to the greatest possible extent.’
What will happen to the information you give?
We will ask you to provide your Maynooth University email address. This is to allow for us to identify your data should you wish to withdraw from the study at any point up to the publication of the results. There will only be one identifiable copy of the data, which will be held by the Mi:Lab Principal Investigator, Trevor Vaugh. Mr. Vaugh will make a deidentified copy of the data which will be used by the Mi:Lab researchers for analysis purposes. If you have any queries about this, please contact: [email protected]
After ten years, all data will be destroyed (by the PI). Manual data will be shredded confidentially and electronic data will be reformatted or overwritten by the PI in Maynooth University.
What will happen to the results?
The research will be written up and presented at National and International conferences and may be published in academic journals. It will also be discussed at internal group meeting and will be used to form the basis of Mi:Lab’s approach to innovation within Maynooth University, including the creation of innovation frameworks. The results may also be published online in written, graphic or video format. A copy of the research findings will be made available to you upon request.
What are the possible disadvantages of taking part?
We do not anticipate any disadvantages from participating in this study.
If during your participation in this study you feel the information and guidelines that you were given have been neglected or disregarded in any way, or if you are unhappy about the process, please contact the Secretary of the Maynooth University Ethics Committee at [email protected] or +353 (0)1 708 6019. Please be assured that your concerns will be dealt with in a sensitive manner.
For your information the Data Controller for this research project is Maynooth University, Maynooth, Co. Kildare. Maynooth University Data Protection officer is Ann McKeon in Humanity house, room 17, who can be contacted at [email protected]. Maynooth University Data Privacy policies can be found at https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/data-protection.