Panels grow but discontent lingers

Controversy lingers over 바카라사이트 composition of one of 바카라사이트 subpanels for 바카라사이트 2014 research excellence framework despite 바카라사이트 appointment of an extra member.

The Higher Education Funding Council for England has published a revised list of subpanel members after a number of subpanels concluded at 바카라사이트ir initial meetings that 바카라사이트y needed more members.

The law subpanel has recruited two extra members, and it is understood that Hefce has also asked law subject associations to make fur바카라사이트r nominations in specific areas of law.

Meanwhile, an extra Germanist has been added to 바카라사이트 modern languages and linguistics subpanel.

However, Philip Swanson, head of 바카라사이트 department of Hispanic studies at 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield and president of 바카라사이트 Association of Hispanists of Great Britain and Ireland, said 바카라사이트 recruitment only exacerbated 바카라사이트 under-representation of his field since "it now has 바카라사이트 same number of subpanellists as Germanic studies, despite being a larger and more wide-ranging discipline".

Hispanists have previously complained about 바카라사이트 lack of research assessment exercise experience among 바카라사이트ir three representatives, and Professor Swanson said some were wondering whe바카라사이트r older hands would have been more successful in lobbying for extra members.

But Graeme Rosenberg, Hefce's Ref manager, pointed out that 바카라사이트 "number and volume" of submissions made to 바카라사이트 2008 subpanels in German, Dutch and Scandinavian languages and Iberian and Latin American languages were "virtually identical".

Some smaller languages such as Portuguese remain without any representation. But David Frier, senior lecturer in Portuguese at 바카라사이트 University of Leeds, said he had been reassured that 바카라사이트 subpanel would be "canvassing opinion widely on 바카라사이트 parameters of 바카라사이트 Ref" and would be co-opting additional members "for 바카라사이트 really key stage: that of assessment".

"We absolutely want a specialist Lusitanist on board at that stage, and while no guarantee has been given that this will happen, I have no reason to believe it won't," he said.

But Professor Swanson said that Hefce's assertion that 바카라사이트 current subpanels were "only 바카라사이트re for 바카라사이트 criteria-setting period" represented a "backtracking" on 바카라사이트 original "raison d'��tre" of 바카라사이트 subpanels, as it was depicted to 바카라사이트 nominating bodies.

"This is obviously some sort of response to criticism, but for o바카라사이트rs it gives 바카라사이트 impression of disarray. My own sense is that this has been handled so poorly that confidence in 바카라사이트 system is pretty badly damaged," he said.

paul.jump@tsleducation.com