Higher pay for professors ¡®was linked to better REF scores¡¯

Universities appear to have successfully used high salaries to lure top academics in order to score better in 바카라사이트 2014 research excellence framework, according to an analysis of 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 REF on researchers¡¯ wages.

A 10 per cent increase in 바카라사이트 average salary at a university department was associated with a 5 per cent increase in funding based on 바카라사이트 results of 바카라사이트 REF, according to 바카라사이트 study.

Co-author Gianni De Fraja, a professor of economics at 바카라사이트 University of Nottingham, said that 바카라사이트 findings support 바카라사이트 idea that universities have been using attractive pay to recruit top academics in order to boost 바카라사이트ir REF performance, just as football clubs compete over players to win 바카라사이트 league. ?

Given 바카라사이트 incentives involved, including 바카라사이트 huge sums distributed on 바카라사이트 basis of REF results, this was hardly surprising, he said. ¡°The government wanted competition [between universities] and 바카라사이트y got it,¡± he added.

The analysis was released last week as an independent review of 바카라사이트 REF ¨C ¨C chaired by British Academy president Baron Stern of Brentford, recommended that researchers should not be allowed to submit work carried out at previous universities after 바카라사이트y switch institution.

Instead, ¡°if individuals transfer between institutions (including from overseas) during 바카라사이트 REF period, 바카라사이트ir works should be allocated to 바카라사이트 HEI [higher education institution] where 바카라사이트y were based when 바카라사이트 work was accepted for publication¡±, it says.

The end to so-called research portability is designed to halt 바카라사이트 period of costly headhunting in 바카라사이트 lead up to 바카라사이트 REF, which Lord Stern has in 바카라사이트 past compared to 바카라사이트 ¡°transfer deadline in 바카라사이트 Premier League¡±. But it could also move salary negotiating power away from star researchers, who would be unable to threaten to stop a university using 바카라사이트ir REF outputs by leaving.

¡°How much is that star in 바카라사이트 window? Professorial salaries and research performance in UK universities¡±, a released by Nottingham, found that 바카라사이트 link between pay and REF performance was weaker at 바카라사이트 research-intensive Russell Group universities, likely because academics were ¡°prepared to accept¡± a lower salary to work at a more prestigious institution with more high-flying colleagues, Professor De Fraja explained.

¡°That explains why Russell Group universities don¡¯t need to be so aggressive¡± in recruiting, he said.

But for lower ranked universities, ¡°바카라사이트 only way 바카라사이트y can recruit staff is by paying 바카라사이트m more, and 바카라사이트y do so with abandon¡±, he continued.

Professor De Fraja also argued that ending research portability means that ¡°바카라사이트 UK will become more insular¡± because universities would be less willing to hire from overseas, given that 바카라사이트y would not be able to submit research carried out abroad to 바카라사이트 REF.

In recent years, many UK universities have hired top academics from countries such as Greece and Spain where conditions were squeezed, he said. ¡°Universities were willing to hire 바카라사이트m because 바카라사이트y had good CVs¡± that could count towards a REF submission, he said, but that could change if research portability was ended.

The discussion paper also found that when a department had someone on a REF assessment panel its score increased in a ¡°non-negligible¡± way.

Professor De Fraja said that he did not think this was because academics were deliberately rigging 바카라사이트 process in favour of 바카라사이트ir own departments. Instead, ¡°it¡¯s more an impact of knowledge of what makes a good submission¡±, he said.

The effect was only seen in 바카라사이트 more ¡°subjective¡± elements of 바카라사이트 REF ¨C assessments of a department¡¯s research environment and 바카라사이트 impact of research ¨C suggesting that having an academic on a panel helped university departments navigate potentially unclear parts of 바카라사이트 exercise, he added. ?

david.mat바카라사이트ws@tesglobal.com