DBAA Case Studies

Why we are collating case studies 

• To showcase academics at different stages of their journey who successfully already work with partners beyond academia to create impact or who are exploring opportunities.  

• To showcase the careers of people who started as university researchers and now work elsewhere.  

• To showcase people from businesses, non-profit or policy organisations who work with universities.    

• Thought leadership in engagement beyond academia. 

• Reporting to our funders.

• Case studies are also a form of research data collection that can answer specific research questions, for example about the characteristics and backgrounds of academics that successfully engage beyond academia. In such cases, we will obtain informed consent from the participant.

Example questions 

All questions will be tailored for individual case studies. 

• How did you get to where you are today? Tell me about your background, your qualifications and your career so far.  

• Tell me about your current position and what your role entails. 

• How do you use the skills you developed as a researcher in your role? 

• What new skills have you acquired, or do you now use, compared to when you were working as a researcher?  

• What motivated you to work in a role beyond academia? 

• Were there any specific influences (mentors/training/people you knew/businesses you heard of) that led you to work outside the traditional research environment? 

• What were the challenges of adjusting to a role outside of academia? 

• How could you have been better prepared?  

• Do you now collaborate with academic researchers?   

• Do you keep in touch with academic contacts from your previous role? 

• What matters most to you in your job? (Happiness, money, making a difference, new knowledge, feeling good about what you do, helping people, low or no stress) 

• What are the best things about working in your role? 

• What top tips would you pass on to a researcher interested in collaborating with, or working, beyond academia?  

Other considerations 

• We may request existing head shot photographs or to take specific photographic or film footage of the case study participant in action or as a ‘talking head’.