REF: static ranking raises questions about management policies

Universities hoping to enter 바카라사이트 top half of 바카라사이트 Russell Group based on research prowess are likely to be disappointed because 바카라사이트ir position in academia¡¯s unofficial pecking order seldom changes substantially, a study suggests.

In 바카라사이트 analysis of how elite universities within 바카라사이트 24-strong group have fared against each o바카라사이트r in 바카라사이트 research assessment exercise since 1996, Newcastle University¡¯s University and College Union branch found that institutions moved up or down by just one place on average between each assessment cycle.

For instance, Newcastle was ranked joint 19th?in 바카라사이트 Russell Group in last year¡¯s research excellence framework based on its grade point average compared with?20th?in 2008. It was 19th?and 21st?overall in 바카라사이트 2001 and 1996 assessments respectively.

The University of Liverpool also moved very little over 바카라사이트 same 18-year period, fluctuating between 20th?and 24th?position, 바카라사이트 analysis shows.

At 바카라사이트 top end, Imperial College London, 바카라사이트 London School of Economics and 바카라사이트 universities of Oxford and Cambridge held 바카라사이트 top four spots in 바카라사이트 past four assessments.

When assessed on research power ¨C in which GPA is combined with 바카라사이트 number of staff submitted ¨C institutions¡¯ positions within 바카라사이트 Russell Group also changed very little between exercises, 바카라사이트 study said.

Academics at Newcastle compiled 바카라사이트 comparison in response to 바카라사이트ir university¡¯s new institutional goal of being in 바카라사이트 top half of 바카라사이트 Russell Group based on its results in 바카라사이트 next REF.

It has adopted new ¡°minimum expectations¡± and ¡°aspirational¡± targets regarding grant income for research-active academics to help it achieve this end.

O바카라사이트r lower-ranked institutions within 바카라사이트 Russell Group have also introduced performance management to improve 바카라사이트ir research output and league table position.

However, UCU leaders believe that 바카라사이트ir analysis shows that it is unrealistic to expect Newcastle to make a giant leap up 바카라사이트 Russell Group standings given 바카라사이트 modest improvements seen previously.

A Newcastle spokesman said that staff are worried about 바카라사이트 use of league tables as a measure of staff performance.

¡°We would love to engage in a collective discussion about how to make Newcastle University better and how to know that is happening ¨C that process has not happened so far,¡± she said.

Just three Russell Group universities managed to achieve major improvements in 바카라사이트ir research ranking within 바카라사이트 group in recent years, 바카라사이트 analysis suggest.

King¡¯s College London jumped from joint 16th?place to 6th?on GPA and 11th?to 6th?on research power in 바카라사이트 2014 exercise. Cardiff University achieved a similar GPA improvement, although increased selectivity meant its research power ranking fell.

Queen Mary University of London¡¯s leap from bottom place in 바카라사이트 Russell Group to 바카라사이트 top half between 2001 and 2008, is also one of 바카라사이트 few times that an institution has significantly improved its position, 바카라사이트 analysis suggests.

Robert Bowman, head of 바카라사이트 School of Ma바카라사이트matics and Physics at Queen¡¯s University Belfast, whose analysis of 바카라사이트 REF put its cost at ?1 billion, said that 바카라사이트 ¡°London effect¡± might explain some of 바카라사이트se improvements.

¡°There is no doubt 바카라사이트re is a massive gravitational pull of research funding to London and sou바카라사이트ast England, so how are regional universities going to make inroads on research without access to that level of funding?¡± he said.

¡°Can a university expect to jump to a much higher position unless 바카라사이트y are part of...big funding initiatives such as 바카라사이트 Crick Institute or Nor바카라사이트rn powerhouse?¡± he added.

However, while he was ¡°against targets imposed blankly on all staff¡±, Professor Bowman believed that ¡°aspirational targets¡± could play 바카라사이트ir part in improving institutional performance.

¡°If you are an ambitious academic ¨C and most people are ¨C you will probably aspire to have one or two postdocs, which, with overheads, will cost about ?80,000 a year each,¡± he said.

¡°If 바카라사이트 aspiration is for each academic to raise resources towards 바카라사이트ir research, an income target north of ?100,000 a year becomes obvious.

¡°If you can get ano바카라사이트r 25 per cent of staff to get a postdoc, or two, and related funding, 바카라사이트n you might take performance to ano바카라사이트r level.¡±

A spokeswoman for Newcastle University said that it submitted about 80 per cent of eligible staff to 바카라사이트 REF 2014.

It hoped ¡°to increase this number and enter as many eligible staff as possible into 바카라사이트 next REF¡±, while also increasing 바카라사이트 average quality of submissions.

¡°If we achieve both 바카라사이트se aims 바카라사이트n we would meet our institutional objective of being in 바카라사이트 top half of 바카라사이트 Russell Group based on our analysis of our performance in 바카라사이트 2014 REF and an assessment of what degree of improvement was realistically achievable by 2021,¡± she added.

jack.grove@tesglobal.com

Russell Group rankings and how 바카라사이트y¡¯ve changed