Beyond publication: what turns research into real-world influence?

When researchers Richard Doll and Austin Bradford Hill published evidence linking smoking to lung cancer in the 1950s, little did they know that their work would underpin decades of public health policy, tobacco regulation and the saving of millions of lives. This lasting influence came not from the publication itself, but from the policies and behaviours it changed.

At the same time, research success has largely been measured by publications, citations and journal prestige. These remain important indicators of scientific excellence, but it’s now acknowledged that they tell only part of the story. Funders and research institutions are now placing greater emphasis on research impact. 

In January 2026, the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA), representing more than 700 research organisations worldwide, called for societal impact to become a core criterion in research assessment alongside scientific excellence. 

This shift is already reflected in the UK’s REF2021. Universities submitted 6,781 impact case studies demonstrating real-world benefits beyond academia. These included 79 distinct areas of impact and 59 different beneficiary groups, including governments, policymakers, practitioners and industry. 

Nature Partnerships’ recent blog series on societal impact explored this journey from a variety of perspectives, from helping research inform policy, to making research evidence policy-ready, to understanding why a systems approach is essential for addressing complex global challenges. Together, these perspectives show there’s more to real-world influence than the research itself.

In this blog we explore not only the elements involved in achieving influence, but how to maximise opportunities for your organisation. 

Research impact – the ecosystem

Research impact is not achieved in isolation. A whole network is involved, of researchers, funders, policymakers, practitioners, industry and communities. Each of these plays a different role in elevating research from discovery to real world impact. This is why the conversation around research evaluation increasingly recognises the additional elements that contribute to “successful research”.

Central to this conversation is good thought leadership, which is a foundational tool for creating real-world influence. By addressing the challenges your audience face with practical solutions and fresh perspectives you become a trusted and respected voice. As such it helps underpin the essentials of impactful research communication – evidence, clarity, visibility, collaboration and action.  

Evidence – the foundation

Everything begins with the research itself. Without credible evidence there can be no meaningful influence, so the basics of good research are key. Rigorous methodology, peer review and publication in respected journals are fundamental because they establish confidence in the findings. However, research only becomes valuable when it’s discovered, understood and applied by those who can benefit from it. 

Clarity – for understanding research

One of the greatest barriers to research impact is how the research is presented. Researchers communicate primarily with other researchers, who share a common language. However, the same evidence often needs to be presented differently if policymakers, funders and healthcare and business leaders are to fully understand its message. As explored in our earlier post The publication-to-policy connection: Supporting the real-world impact of research, evidence rarely moves directly from publication into policy. To inform decision-making at this level, research often requires translation for new audiences.

Clarity is therefore key. It helps bridge the gap between the world of scientific research and the practical application of research, creating opportunities for real-world influence. 

Visibility – putting research in front of the right audiences 

Good research can only influence decision-making if the people who need it can see it. 

At a time when vast amounts of content compete for attention across journals, conferences, digital platforms and social media, this requires work. Visibility today is about ensuring good research reaches the audiences who can act on it. For research organisations, this means communicating not only with decision-makers within the research ecosystem but with key segments adjacent to the system. So it’s vital to maintain the authority and credibility expected by scientific audiences.  

Convening – facilitating collaboration

Easily lost in the mix is one of the most important elements in the pursuit of influence – convening. Many of the challenges we see today can’t be solved by individual disciplines or organisations acting alone. Effective solutions need to bring together researchers, policymakers, funders, practitioners and industry, so they can reach agreement through the exchange of ideas and debate.

Nature Partnerships’ companion article, Making research policy-ready: how institutions can support think tanks and SDG impact, highlights the important role played by knowledge brokers, think tanks and policy specialists in helping evidence reach decision-makers. It shows how creating collaborative opportunities can be as important as communicating the science. So conferences, webinars, roundtables and collaborative partnerships all create trusted environments where research can be discussed and later applied to real-world challenges. 

Action – creating pathways to impact

The real value of research lies in its practical application. When evidence informs decisions, changes practice or shapes future innovation, it can also help bring about policy change. Sometimes this improves healthcare or industrial processes or inspires future scientific discovery.

Our sister blog, What can institutions learn from a systems approach to sustainability transformation? explores how lasting societal impact depends on a wide network of institutions, disciplines and sectors. Research is just one part of a much larger system involving many different organisations. Organizations can nurture the conditions that boost influence through clearer communication, stronger networks and meaningful engagement.

Trusted partners such as Nature Partnerships help organisations create these opportunities through evidence-led thought leadership programmes which prioritise scientific credibility over promotional messaging. 

Why thought leadership matters

The core challenge is ensuring research is recognised widely, beyond the immediate research community. Thought leadership helps do just that, working alongside peer review to engender trust by a broad range of audiences. 

As research assessment continues to evolve, organisations need opportunities to demonstrate not only what they know, but how they contribute to solving global problems. Good thought leadership is an effective way of creating those opportunities, in a number of ways. 

The route to influence

Serious conversations around research can be held in many different formats. Written material can explain complex ideas in depth, webinars bring together expert communities, conferences create opportunities for collaboration, and multimedia can help make complex data easier to understand and share. These activities don’t create impact on their own, but they can strengthen the conditions that encourage research impact to develop, by improving visibility, supporting collaboration and encouraging knowledge exchange. For organisations seeking to build long-term credibility, this is an effective way of contributing constructively to important scientific conversations. 

Beyond publication

For research-led organisations, the opportunity lies in creating the conditions that enable research to be understood and applied. As scientific challenges become increasingly intertwined, organisations are recognising that influence depends not only on communicating evidence, but also on creating the spaces where evidence can be debated, shared and translated into action.

In the next article in this series, we’ll be exploring why convening is becoming a strategic capability for organisations seeking to lead scientific conversations and accelerate research impact.