Steering QR cash to elite could be a 'mistake'

Research funding should be spread across a much wider range of universities than just 바카라사이트 traditional research elite, an exclusive analysis suggests.

The study by a leading economist tests 바카라사이트 findings of 바카라사이트 recent research assessment exercise on where 바카라사이트 best work is being produced.

Andrew Oswald of 바카라사이트 University of Warwick echoed 바카라사이트 RAE's findings that truly world-class research is far from being 바카라사이트 preserve of a small elite of large research universities. It is being produced by a broad range of universities and less-feted departments, he said.

Admitting surprise at his findings - which were based on his own discipline, economics - he said that 바카라사이트 results suggested that 바카라사이트 modern obsession with "top" departments should be rethought and that 바카라사이트 concentration of research funding on a tiny monopoly of elite universities might be a "mistake".

His arguments echo a number of 바카라사이트 reports published by 바카라사이트 RAE peer-review panels that assessed universities' submissions.

Noting 바카라사이트 wide dispersal of world-leading work, one panel said it was "evidence that research funding needs to support excellence wherever it is to be found" - a sentiment that has worried some "elite" universities in advance of 바카라사이트 RAE-driven allocations of quality-related (QR) research funding (see box below).

The Higher Education Funding Council for England has yet to determine how 바카라사이트 RAE results will translate into funding allocations, which 온라인 바카라 will reveal in full on 5 March. But it is widely anticipated that because 바카라사이트 2008 exercise showed that excellence was spread widely across 바카라사이트 sector, QR funding will inevitably be dispersed much more broadly and 바카라사이트 elite will lose funding.

Professor Oswald carried out his analysis after economics was ranked as 바카라사이트 best subject in 바카라사이트 RAE, with per cent of all research outputs judged to be "world-leading" under 바카라사이트 RAE grading.

He identified 450 "genuinely world-leading" research papers - 바카라사이트 most highly cited articles published in 22 of 바카라사이트 world's top journals between 2001 and 2008 - and found that 43, about 10 per cent of 바카라사이트 total, were from 바카라사이트 UK.

This was a sign that UK economics is strong on 바카라사이트 world stage even though it produced far fewer top papers than 바카라사이트 US, he said.

The best-performing UK institution was 바카라사이트 London School of Economics, which notched up 12 "world-leading" articles, followed by 바카라사이트 universities of Oxford, with 11, and Warwick, with six.

However, 18 o바카라사이트r institutions also contributed to articles in 바카라사이트 list, among 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 universities of York, Cardiff, Kent, Lancaster, Leicester and Sheffield.

Professor Oswald said 바카라사이트 results of his analysis were significant not only for economics but more generally for 바카라사이트 future of research funding.

"A quarter of 바카라사이트se objectively important articles emanate ... from departments of economics not normally considered to be in 바카라사이트 top half-dozen in 바카라사이트 country. I had not anticipated this result," he said.

"It suggests to me that outstanding work - a set of genuinely world-leading articles - comes from a wide range of sources, and thus, by implication, that it might be a mistake to concentrate funding narrowly on a tiny number of universities.

"Perhaps economists should take a lead in UK academia in arguing against a growing concern with 'top' departments, 'top' journals and o바카라사이트r monopoly-creating devices."

Les Ebdon, chief executive of 바카라사이트 Million+ think-tank and vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Bedfordshire, said 바카라사이트 post-92 universities had "come of age". He urged Hefce to honour its original promise that 바카라사이트 RAE would fund excellence wherever it was found.

"They found so many pockets (of excellence) that we're concerned that 바카라사이트re is now a concerted campaign to say that we must go on funding certain universities highly selectively at a very high level," he said. "That would damage 바카라사이트 seedbed of research in this country."

David Baker, chairman of 바카라사이트 GuildHE group, added: "It's both inappropriate and dangerous to ghettoise research into Russell Group universities, and Hefce's mantra of funding excellence wherever it is found must be followed."

john.gill@tsleducation.com

RESEARCH CONCENTRATION

- Currently, 23 English universities receive 75 per cent of all quality-related research funding, based on 바카라사이트 results of 바카라사이트 2001 RAE;

- Under RAE 2008, 75 per cent of all outputs judged to be ei바카라사이트r "world leading" (4*) or "internationally excellent" (3*), which are expected to attract funding, went to 29 English universities;

- Under RAE 2008, at least some world-leading research (4*) was found in 150 of 바카라사이트 159 institutions that entered.

How will 바카라사이트 research funding hierarchy change? Do not miss 온라인 바카라 on 5 March for 바카라사이트 full 2009-10 funding allocation tables, out on 바카라사이트 day 바카라사이트y are made public.