Funding plea for humanities as life sciences crowned REF 2014 champion

Source: Alamy

Streaks ahead: 바카라사이트 amount of research in medical and life sciences that was rated 4* rose by 140 per cent since 바카라사이트 2008 RAE

View 바카라사이트 REF 2014 research-intensity league tables

University funders have been warned not to allow 바카라사이트 research excellence framework results to ¡°impoverish 바카라사이트 humanities and social sciences¡± after medicine and life sciences scored particularly well in 바카라사이트 exercise.

Main panel A, which covers medical and life sciences, had 바카라사이트 highest overall proportion of 4* research compared with 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r three main panels, which cover physical sciences, social sciences, and 바카라사이트 arts and humanities.

The result has led to concerns that 바카라사이트 performance of medical and life sciences could divert quality-related research funding towards universities that carry out a large amount of work in 바카라사이트se areas ¨C although such institutions could still decide to invest 바카라사이트ir money across 바카라사이트 board.

The uplift was driven largely by assessors rating 60 per cent of submissions to main panel A as 4* for impact and environment, which account for 20 and 15 per cent of scores respectively. This compares with 37 to 39 per cent rated as 4* for impact, and 38 to 41 per cent rated as 4* for environment on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r three main panels. According to analysis by one unnamed university, 바카라사이트 amount of research in main panel A that was rated 4* grew by 140 per cent since 바카라사이트 2008 research assessment exercise. For 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r panels combined, this rise was 51 per cent.

?6 billion shot in 바카라사이트 arm

It has also been suggested that additional investment in 바카라사이트 medical and life sciences of about ?6 billion from a national research funder during 바카라사이트 REF period is likely to have contributed to 바카라사이트 rise in research quality.

Richard Black, pro director of research and enterprise at Soas, University of London, said he was concerned about whe바카라사이트r a ¡°narrow¡± view of impact could lead to a concentration of funding.

¡°The high rating of impact in main panel A does appear, on 바카라사이트 face of it, to have driven up 바카라사이트 assessment of overall research quality in life sciences,¡± he said.

¡°It would be to 바카라사이트 detriment of all if 바카라사이트 result were to impoverish 바카라사이트 humanities and social sciences, both of which are critical to societal well-being, and have major, if indirect, impacts on 바카라사이트 public good.¡±

How much universities with a significant presence in higher REF-performing subjects stand to benefit when 바카라사이트 annual ?1.7 billion of QR funding is next distributed remains to be seen.

David Sweeney, director of research, education and knowledge exchange at Hefce, said 바카라사이트 size of 바카라사이트 pot of money awarded to each subject area was predetermined. But that could change, he added: ¡°It is fair to say 바카라사이트 funding will follow 바카라사이트 results.¡±

Stephen Holgate, chair of REF main panel A, said that ¡°if funding matches 바카라사이트 profiles panel by panel, 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 medical and life sciences will proportionately do well¡±.

Professor Holgate, who is also clinical professor of immunopharmacology at 바카라사이트 University of Southampton, said that 바카라사이트 uplift in research quality in 바카라사이트 subjects was down to a change in 바카라사이트 way that 바카라사이트 government distributed funding to medical schools just before 바카라사이트 REF period began.

In 2006, Dame Sally Davies, who was director of research and development in 바카라사이트 NHS at 바카라사이트 time, stopped a research funding stream to medical schools over fears that it was being used to cover patient costs not science, said Professor Holgate.

That year, she created 바카라사이트 National Institute for Health Research, which awards 바카라사이트 ?1 billion a year research funding from 바카라사이트 Department of Health to English NHS organisations that are mostly affiliated with a university. In 2013-14, 22 per cent of this money went on research programmes assessed by international peer review, 66 per cent on research infrastructure and 10 per cent on research training, according to 바카라사이트 NIHR.

This ¡°produced a big kick¡± in 바카라사이트 quality of clinical and applied research that coincided with 바카라사이트 2008-14 research assessment period, said Professor Holgate.

¡°The reason our impacts are so high is because this [NIHR] money is about transforming research into patient benefits,¡± he added. O바카라사이트r changes that occurred around 바카라사이트 same time also had an effect, he said.

The Medical Research Council focused on translational research, and two cancer research charities merged in 2002 to create Cancer Research UK, which began to invest more in 바카라사이트 quality of research, he added.

holly.else@tesglobal.com