Understanding SHAPE: Origins and Meaning
As we are slowly moving from SSHA to SHAPE, it makes sense to dive deeper into the term’s origins. Starting with the most important detail, the term SHAPE stands for ‘Social sciences, Humanities and the Arts for People and the Economy’. It was coined by Professor Julia Black, Warden of Nuffield College Oxford and President of the British Academy, the UK’s national academy for humanities and social sciences.
The Societal Impact of SHAPE Disciplines
SHAPE is a collective name for the social sciences, humanities, and arts that goes beyond merely listing research disciplines; the ‘P’ for people and the ‘E’ for economy also capture the impact function of these disciplines. This allows us to shine a light on the positive benefits to society, economy, and culture that we derive from SHAPE research outputs. While the different research disciplines that fall under SHAPE are varied, what unites them is their ability to help people better understand the communities they live in, tackle global challenges, and shape public policy to improve health, wellbeing, and prosperity.
SHAPE Research: Addressing Global Challenges
SHAPE research, its methods and outputs are extremely diverse, and so are SHAPE valorisation projects. They address a wide range of global challenges, from public health interventions that help those living with dementia and new teaching formats that can improve education outcomes to novel risk assessment models that enable social lending in the Global South. They also operate across a broad spectrum of sectors, from Health and Education to Creative Industries and Financial Services, illustrating the wide range of SHAPE research and its potential to be at the heart of solving key social and economic problems.
Common Impact Pathways for SHAPE Projects
Despite the large variety of SHAPE research outputs and valorisation projects, it is worth noting that there are similarities that unite them, which has consequences for the different impact and valorisation pathways available to SHAPE research-based ideas more generally, from start-ups and spinouts to policy change, licensing, consultancy, and public engagement. At the heart of it, researchers want to find the best mechanisms to sustain and scale the impact of their research, and one of the key tools enabling researchers to create sustainable impact-at-scale is commercialisation.
Supporting SHAPE Commercialisation and Innovation
For this to be successful, it is important to have the right support for SHAPE commercialisation projects as they share different business models, target sectors, and funding needs. For example, they are less likely to involve patentable IP or require early VC investment, and in many instances, researchers can start out by developing service-based offerings that are capital-light and allow them to go to market quickly to test their commercial potential. Many SHAPE projects also turn towards impact-driven social enterprise models and work closely with the public sector because they address subject matters that intersect with governments’ priorities and responsibilities. All of this makes SHAPE unique and is why developing SHAPE-specific expertise as well as sharing case studies and best practice is a key priority of the SHAPE SIG.
About ASTP's SHAPE SIG
As many more universities and research institutions explore the possibilities of knowledge transfer and valorisation within the social sciences, humanities, and arts, this expert group keeps abreast of the latest knowledge and best practice.
Since 2015, this group has been at the vanguard of researching, developing, and recording best practice in the field, and has explored a wide range of valorisation pathways aimed at sustaining and scaling the impact of SHAPE research. Their knowledge and experience are unsurpassed in Europe.
The SHAPE SIG hosts a 30-minute webinar, the SHAPE Spotlight, on the first Wednesday of every month at 13:00 CET. The SHAPE Spotlight offers a platform for sharing know-how, innovative case studies, and practical tools from impact experts and SHAPE practitioners across the ASTP membership and beyond.
All ASTP members are invited to join.
If you are not yet a member of the SHAPE SIG but are interested in joining, you can learn more here or contact Arlyta at arlyta.wibowo-kruzinga@astp4kt.eu.