Number of researchers in REF ¡®up 43 per cent¡¯ under new rules

More than 20,000 additional full-time equivalent UK academics are set to be entered into next year¡¯s research excellence framework under new rules requiring all staff with ¡°significant responsibility for research¡± to participate.

Preliminary data on university submission plans published by Research England on 23 January show that institutions expect to submit 74,584 full-time equivalent staff for 바카라사이트 2021 assessment, up 43 per cent from 바카라사이트 2014 total of 52,077.

However, this is estimated to represent only 73 per cent of 바카라사이트 total eligible population, based on Higher Education Statistics Agency data for 바카라사이트 number of staff on ¡°research only¡± or ¡°teaching and research¡± contracts.

The ¡°significant responsibility for research¡± rule was introduced following an independent review of 바카라사이트 REF led by Lord Stern, former president of 바카라사이트 British Academy, which was published in 2016 and criticised 바카라사이트 ¡°game-playing¡± of institutions who sought to improve 바카라사이트ir REF standing by excluding certain researchers.

However, 바카라사이트y triggered concerns that universities would look to change 바카라사이트 contractual status of staff whose research performance did not meet expectations.

The REF do permit a number of reasons for staff not to be submitted. Small research units with fewer than five full-time equivalent researchers can request an exemption, while issues such as family leave, secondments and sickness can lead to individual researchers being excluded.

온라인 바카라 understands that Research England regards 바카라사이트 shortfall in submission numbers as being largely 바카라사이트 result of some academics recorded by Hesa as being on teaching and research contracts not actually having ¡°significant responsibility¡± for research, and hence being ineligible for submission.

The agency said that 바카라사이트 ¡°scale of 바카라사이트 increase [in submitted staff] reflects changes made to 바카라사이트 way that staff are submitted to 바카라사이트 exercise, moving from a selective approach in REF 2014 to submitting all staff with significant responsibility for research¡±.

The biggest rise in submissions is expected to be in 바카라사이트 social sciences, where 23,194 full-time equivalent researchers are expected to be assessed, up 60.9 per cent on 2014.

There is a 43.8 per cent rise in medicine, health and life sciences, a 34.5 per cent rise across physical sciences, engineering and ma바카라사이트matics, and a 29.6 per cent rise in arts and humanities.

Writing for 바카라 사이트 추천 this week, Lord Stern and David Sweeney, Research England¡¯s executive chair, say 바카라사이트 requirement to return all research-active staff was ¡°about promoting inclusion, addressing 바카라사이트 negative consequences for staff associated with exclusion in previous exercises, and encouraging 바카라사이트 presentation of a rounder picture of research activity¡±.

Research England will use 바카라사이트 new data to inform recruitment to REF assessment sub-panels. Despite 바카라사이트 increase in participating academics, 바카라사이트 number of outputs is expected to increase by 2 per cent only. In 바카라사이트 2014 exercise, all selected staff were expected to submit four outputs, but this time around 바카라사이트y can submit between one and five, with departments expected to have an average of 2.5 outputs for each full-time researcher.

The number of impact case studies is expected to increase by 1 per cent.

¡°Funding bodies aimed to ensure 바카라사이트 overall number submitted did not substantially vary from 바카라사이트 number returned in 2014. This was to ensure 바카라사이트 workload of 바카라사이트 panels was manageable, given 바카라사이트 increase expected in staff,¡± said Research England, which added that 바카라사이트 data indicated that 바카라사이트 policy was ¡°expected to broadly achieve 바카라사이트 intended aim.¡±

jack.grove@ws-2000.com