ARMA Award Shortlisting
News
Bath Spa University’s Research Support Office shortlisted for prestigious national award
Thursday, 9 April, 2026Bath Spa University’s Research Support Office has been named a finalist for the 2026 Research Management Team of the Year award by the national Association of Research Managers and Administrators (ARMA).
This UK-wide award from ARMA celebrates a research management team of any shape, size and/or scope that has succeeded in working as a robust, cohesive and effective unit, resulting in a significant positive impact on their organisation’s research endeavours, within or beyond the organisation. BSU’s Research Support Office has been shortlisted as one of the top four finalists in the country following a competitive national call for nominations from universities and research organisations across the UK.
BSU’s Research Support Office (RSO) is a multi-skilled team that delivers national-level impact through joined-up research management. They provide end-to-end support across pre-award, post-award, governance, ethics, integrity, impact, and researcher development. They have transformed research culture and infrastructure, embedding sector-leading practices and driving research-led innovation across BSU.
Speaking about the RSO being shortlisted, Professor John Strachan, Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research and Enterprise at BSU, said:
“This is a phenomenal recognition of a team that represents the very best of Bath Spa. The RSO is one of our greatest strategic assets - creative, agile and utterly committed to enabling research that changes lives. They are already delivering the future imagined in our Strategy 2035: a university powered by professionally creative practice, meaningful partnerships and real‑world impact. Their work amplifies our research culture locally, nationally and globally, and I couldn’t be prouder of what they achieve every single day.”
Sarah Priston, Head of Research Support at BSU, said:
“We’re thrilled to see the RSO recognised on a national stage. Our team may be small, but we are bold, innovative, and deeply committed to supporting research that makes a difference. Everything we do - from major national programmes to everyday researcher support - reflects Bath Spa’s belief that creativity and collaboration can solve real‑world challenges. As Strategy 2035 propels the University into its next chapter, we’re excited to keep driving inclusive, impactful and values‑led research forward.”
BSU’s RSO supports 70–100 externally funded grants and funding applications annually, and oversees 50–100 internal seed projects, supporting both strategic initiatives and early-stage research that makes a difference in the real world. Their portfolio spans UKRI, British Academy, Horizon Europe, Wellcome Trust, and commercial funders, and is complemented by internal schemes they run to nurture emerging talent.
This work underpins Bath Spa’s Research Strategy and directly advances BSU’s new Strategy 2035 by enabling professionally creative, interdisciplinary research and knowledge exchange that delivers real‑world impact. Through inclusive, values‑led and ethically responsible practice, the Research Support Office strengthens Bath Spa’s distinctive international profile, supports meaningful partnerships, and embeds sustainability, inclusivity and integrity across the research and innovation lifecycle.
Some of BSU’s RSO’s key achievements include launching the University’s first Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) Impact Accelerator, delivering the UKRI‑commissioned £2.9m StoryArcs programme, and supporting academics to secure £1m from the Wellcome Trust for the We Are The People project. The team has also modernised research integrity training, introduced enhanced safeguarding support for researchers, and increased researchers’ confidence in the ethical use of generative AI by 27%. Despite its size, the RSO has achieved national influence, setting a benchmark for agile, inclusive, and replicable practice that fully aligns with ARMA’s criteria for partnership, integration, and responsiveness.
The awards ceremony will be held Wednesday 17 June at the Harrogate Convention Centre.