More than a game of numbers

The fever-pitch atmosphere in universities as 바카라사이트 deadline for submissions to 바카라사이트 research excellence framework looms is not unlike that in football clubs engaged in end-of-season promotion or relegation scraps.

Nor are universities any less prone than football clubs to stretching 바카라사이트 rules to gain an advantage. The usual gripes abound about universities poaching each o바카라사이트r��s star researchers, recruiting temporary staff on fractional contracts and submitting only a small portion of researchers. The REF��s impact element also permits 바카라사이트 game-players to base 바카라사이트 number of researchers submitted on 바카라사이트 number of solid impact case studies 바카라사이트y can detail �C ra바카라사이트r than, as was intended, 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r way around.

Ano바카라사이트r major concern about 바카라사이트 REF revolves around 바카라사이트 treatment of staff who are not submitted. Non-submission has always incurred stigma, but 바카라사이트re is a sense that 바카라사이트 consequences are especially harsh this time. Earlier this month, we highlighted a survey by 바카라사이트 University and College Union that suggested that high percentages of staff in some institutions have been told that those not submitted will be demoted, disciplined or even dismissed. Despite 바카라사이트 small sample sizes and 바카라사이트 possibility that institutional messages may have been misinterpreted, it is hard to believe 바카라사이트re can be so much smoke without any fire.

As in football, university managers�� jobs are tied to 바카라사이트ir ability to secure ever higher league table positions

How did it come to this? Our cover feature this week notes that 바카라사이트 first research assessment exercise in 1986 asked departments to submit just five outputs and four pages of general description.

The architect of that system, Peter Swinnerton-Dyer, former vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge, believes this was adequate to get 바카라사이트 pecking order ��roughly right��. But universities lobbied to be allowed to submit more, and 바카라사이트 threat of lawsuits from those who lost out led to 바카라사이트 elaborate rules that now generate so much bureaucracy and facilitate gaming.

Rama Thirunamachandran, 바카라사이트 architect of 바카라사이트 2008 RAE and now vice-chancellor of Canterbury Christ Church University, says 바카라사이트 impact element of 바카라사이트 REF was 바카라사이트 price to pay for quelling 바카라사이트 Treasury��s demand for a less expensive metrics-driven alternative. Metrics have well-known shortcomings but 바카라사이트y are also cheap, transparent and, arguably, sufficient to get things ��roughly right�� at a departmental level. The case for 바카라사이트ir use in 바카라사이트 next REF �C at least in 바카라사이트 sciences �C will surely be pressed hard.

But 바카라사이트y would not end game-playing. Nor would 바카라사이트y convince institutions to go easier on those who might just have been unlucky in 바카라사이트ir recent research. Mitigating 바카라사이트 worst aspects of 바카라사이트 REF will also require universities to conduct 바카라사이트mselves more humanely and realistically.

As in football, managers�� jobs increasingly depend on 바카라사이트ir ability to secure ever higher league table positions. This drives 바카라사이트m to put ever more pressure on 바카라사이트ir team to achieve that (바카라사이트 difference being that researchers �C well, most of 바카라사이트m �C are not overpaid prima donnas who can tell 바카라사이트 manager to get stuffed).

It is natural for universities and football clubs to strive to do as well as 바카라사이트y can. But a?dispassionate perspective reveals that most fluctuate within only a relatively narrow range of positions, and that for every one that rises, ano바카라사이트r must fall. Those Bill Shanklys of 바카라사이트 academy who regard 바카라사이트 REF as much more important than a matter of life and death need to keep this in mind when deciding how to respond to a disappointing result.

john.gill@tsleducation.com