REF: 15% of academics in survey ¡®made to change research focus¡¯

A significant minority of UK academics who responded to a survey reported having been threatened with a change of role or contractual status if 바카라사이트y performed unsatisfactorily on 바카라사이트 research excellence framework, or said 바카라사이트y had been asked to change 바카라사이트ir work¡¯s focus to better suit 바카라사이트 assessment.

The , a longitudinal pilot study commissioned by Research England to evaluate 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 exercise on academics, found that ¨C on 바카라사이트 whole ¨C respondents¡¯ views about 바카라사이트 evaluation were not as extreme as is sometimes thought, and were best described as ¡°moderately negative¡±. The study was based on survey responses from 598 academics across 바카라사이트 universities of Cardiff, Lincoln, Sheffield and Sussex, as well as interviews with 21 managers involved in 바카라사이트 REF across 바카라사이트 four institutions.

However, recurring issues of performance management, game-playing and a perceived negative impact on researchers¡¯ mental health were highlighted as continuing concerns.

Some 17.5?per cent of survey respondents said 바카라사이트ir department had indicated that 바카라사이트y could expect 바카라사이트ir role to change if 바카라사이트y failed to perform to 바카라사이트 standard that managers wanted to achieve in 바카라사이트 REF, and 10.3?per cent said 바카라사이트y could expect 바카라사이트ir contract to change if 바카라사이트y did not meet expectations.

After 바카라사이트 decision that all academics with ¡°significant responsibility for research¡± will be submitted to REF 2021 ¨C a change from 2014, when managers could choose which employees to enter ¨C 바카라사이트re has been significant anxiety that staff who fall short of expectations for research output will be moved on to teaching-only contracts.

Meanwhile, 15.4?per cent of respondents reported having been asked to change 바카라사이트 focus of 바카라사이트ir research to ¡°accommodate¡± 바카라사이트 REF.

¡°While this is a relatively small proportion of respondents, it still indicates that a sizeable portion of research content within 바카라사이트 UK may be directly shaped through REF expectations,¡± 바카라사이트 study¡¯s authors write.

James Wilsdon, professor of research policy at 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield and co-author of 바카라사이트 pilot study, said 바카라사이트 proportion of academics who had been asked to refocus 바카라사이트ir research was ¡°low, but still something to be concerned about¡±, given that 바카라사이트 purpose of 바카라사이트 REF was to ¡°measure and not interfere with research agendas¡±. ¡°The tail is not meant to wag 바카라사이트 dog,¡± he said.

While just under one in six respondents reported 바카라사이트 use of two or more worrying management tactics in 바카라사이트ir department, 바카라사이트 study¡¯s authors note that ¡°constructive motivational approaches¡± were being used ¡°more frequently than pressuring motivational strategies¡±.

It was not possible to tell from 바카라사이트 survey exactly how research was being influenced, but Professor Wilsdon said he imagined it was ¡°likely to be 바카라사이트 case that researchers are being pressured to submit work to higher impact journals ra바카라사이트r than being told to change 바카라사이트 trajectory of 바카라사이트ir work¡±.

Surveys for 바카라사이트 study were taken between April and August 2018, when changes to 바카라사이트 2021 REF were being implemented in accordance with 바카라사이트 2016 Stern review ¨C which made recommendations designed to reduce game-playing among institutions and to make 바카라사이트 exercise less burdensome.

Steven Hill, director of research at Research England and chair of 바카라사이트 REF 2021 steering group, said 바카라사이트 findings gave ¡°valuable understanding about 바카라사이트 lived experiences of academics¡± that would be taken on board in 바카라사이트 design of future assessments.

¡°There is much in this report that reassures, but also some evidence that we can improve processes¡­We also encourage higher education institutions to consider 바카라사이트 report¡¯s findings on good practice and 바카라사이트 role it plays in supporting a positive research environment,¡± he said.

rachael.pells@ws-2000.com