Develop and implement an advocacy campaign to encourage universities to support the maintenance of research software, highlighting success stories and demonstrating the impact of university-funded activities

[dr-eric-jensen]

Potential Activity Scope
The support for the maintenance of software developed within universities remains an area that requires concerted attention and action.

The proposed advocacy campaign seeks to address this gap by engaging universities in a strategic and systematic effort to support the maintenance of software developed as part of research impact or technology transfer. The campaign includes a nuanced understanding of the dynamics, drivers, and demands of university-supported software maintenance. It should recognize the multifaceted contributions of Research Software Engineers (RSEs), the diverse funding mechanisms, and the tangible and intangible outcomes of software projects.

A core feature of the campaign includes the success stories component. By highlighting specific cases where university-funded software development has led to significant achievements, the campaign can demonstrate the value, relevance, and potential of software maintenance. These success stories may include detailed insights into how the software was paid for, the contributions of universities and RSEs, and the collective impact of specific university-funded activities.

The campaign should take a collaborative, contextually sensitive, and creative approach. This includes engaging with key stakeholders, including university decision-makers, faculty, researchers, RSEs, policymakers, industry leaders, and the public. It includes crafting compelling narratives, messages, and materials that resonate with the values, visions, and voices of the target audiences. It includes leveraging diverse communication and engagement routes, ensuring a broad reach, resonance, and response.

If resources allow, the campaign should also include a continuous monitoring, evaluation, and adaptation component.

Potential Objectives

• To identify and analyze success stories where university-funded software development has had a significant impact on research or technology transfer.
• To engage with Research Software Engineers (RSEs) and university stakeholders to understand the funding mechanisms, contributions, and outcomes of specific software projects.
• To craft compelling narratives that highlight the value, relevance, and success of university-supported software maintenance, integrating quantitative data, qualitative insights, and human stories.
• To develop targeted communication and engagement strategies that resonate with university decision-makers, faculty, researchers, and other stakeholders.
• To foster collaboration and consensus among universities, encouraging them to recognize, support, and invest in software maintenance as a vital component of research impact and innovation.
• To monitor, evaluate, and adapt the advocacy campaign, ensuring its alignment with emerging trends, needs, and opportunities in the university and research landscape.

Targeted Impacts

• Universities will recognize and prioritize the maintenance of software developed within their institutions, reflecting a shift in their research, innovation, and technology transfer strategies.
• Research Software Engineers and researchers will benefit from enhanced support, resources, and recognition, fostering a culture of excellence, collaboration, and impact.
• The success stories and narratives will inspire and inform other universities, catalyzing a broader movement towards responsible, sustainable, and strategic software maintenance.
• The advocacy campaign will contribute to the professionalization, visibility, and credibility of software development within the academic community, aligning with the values and visions of open science, public engagement, and societal benefit.
• Stakeholders, including policymakers, industry leaders, funders, and the public, will gain a nuanced understanding of the role, potential, and promise of university-supported software, enhancing their capacity for partnership, investment, and innovation.
• The alignment with research impact, technology transfer, and university contributions will enhance the reputation, influence, and competitiveness of universities, resonating with a wide array of audiences and amplifying their contributions to knowledge, technology, and society.

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This potential activity was curated as part of "Charting the Course: Policy and Planning for Sustainable Research Software," a Sloan Foundation-funded project within URSSI dedicated to supporting the future of research software through evidence-informed policy work (Project contacts are: @danielskatz and @dr-eric-jensen). If you are interested in working on this, please add a comment.