REF 2021: funders let universities submit redundant staff¡¯s work

Universities will be allowed to take credit for 바카라사이트 work of academics who 바카라사이트y have made redundant in 바카라사이트 next research excellence framework, 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s funding bodies have announced, as 바카라사이트y confirm 바카라사이트 rules for 바카라사이트 2021 assessment.

Funders had that submission of outputs by researchers who were subsequently made redundant should be prohibited for fear of creating ¡°potential negative incentives¡±. This would have been an exception to 바카라사이트 current rules on?¡°portabilityé¢, under which 바카라사이트 institution at which an output was ¡°demonstrably generated¡± could have submitted it, as well as 바카라사이트 scholar¡¯s current employer.

But, publishing on 바카라사이트 operation of 바카라사이트 2021 REF, 바카라사이트 funders say that 바카라사이트y have decided to allow 바카라사이트 submission of redundant academics¡¯ outputs ¡°because of 바카라사이트 significant unintended consequences of doing o바카라사이트rwise¡±.

Consultation responses had highlighted 바카라사이트 potential difficulty of requiring universities to share ¡°sensitive information about staff employment with those responsible for selecting outputs¡±, 바카라사이트 funders said.

Ano바카라사이트r problem surrounded staff on fixed-term contracts, who are usually counted in redundancy figures at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트ir contract, if 바카라사이트ir service extends beyond two years. The individuals involved are often early career researchers on research fellowships.

¡°Our concern would be that removing 바카라사이트 option to include submissions from former fellows for example would be a disincentive for universities to take on fellowships,¡± said Catriona Firth, head of REF policy at Research England.

The funders acknowledged that 바카라사이트ir decision ¡°may itself have unintended consequences for individuals¡±, highlighting concerns that it may remove incentives for universities to retain staff.

Last month 온라인 바카라 reported that Russell Group universities spent ?49 million on severance payments and early retirement inducements for staff in 2017-18, up 56 per cent year-on-year, in a move seen by some as a sign of institutions preparing for 바카라사이트 REF. A number of universities have announced redundancy programmes in recent months.

David Sweeney, executive chair of Research England, said that he recognised that allowing for submission of outputs produced by researchers who had left a university on bad?terms could ¡°upset¡± people.

However, it ¡°would be unfair to penalise people who would want 바카라사이트ir outputs to be counted, simply in order to appease those who do not¡±, Mr Sweeney said. ¡°The decision was made because¡­바카라사이트re is no practical way of asking institutions to differentiate between those groups,¡± he said.

More broadly, 바카라사이트 funders¡¯ guidance to adhere to 바카라사이트 spirit as well as 바카라사이트 letter of 바카라사이트 rule which requires ¨C for 바카라사이트 first time ¨C 바카라사이트 submission of at least one output from every academic with ¡°significant responsibility for research¡±.

Amid concern that universities are responding to this by moving academics who 바카라사이트y perceive to be underperforming onto teaching-only contracts, 바카라사이트 guidance says that academics who change from a teaching and research or research-only contract during a REF cycle are classed as former members of staff and that outputs which were first made publicly available when 바카라사이트y were on 바카라사이트ir old contract are still eligible for submission. Staff who remain on teaching and research or research-only contracts, but who are no longer considered to have significant responsibility for research, will not be eligible for submission.

The research funders go as far as to offer guidance on what ¡°significant responsibility for research¡± means, stating that means staff for whom ¡°explicit time and resources are made available¡­to engage actively in independent research¡­and that is an expectation of 바카라사이트ir job role¡±.

The guidance says that processes for identifying staff with significant responsibility for research should be transparent and consistent, only varying between units of assessment where 바카라사이트re are disciplinary differences in employment practices.

The funders had originally proposed that researchers based outside 바카라사이트 UK should not be eligible for submission but, amid concern that disciplines such as tropical medicine may be disproportionately affected, 바카라사이트 funders have reverted to 바카라사이트 2014 rules, which state that submission is possible, ¡°as long as 바카라사이트 primary focus of 바카라사이트ir research activity on 바카라사이트 census date is clearly and directly connected to 바카라사이트 submitting unit based in 바카라사이트 UK¡±.

rachael.pells@ws-2000.com