Should REF environment statements get 바카라사이트 chop?

Pointless or profound? A bureaucratic monster that entrenches research inequalities or a rich, narrative-led document that offers an insight into every university department in 바카라사이트 UK?

Of all 바카라사이트 thousands of documents entered into 바카라사이트 Research Excellence Framework?(REF), environment statements ¨C of which about 2,000 unit- and institutional-level versions were submitted for 바카라사이트 2021 exercise ¨C tend to polarise opinion more than anything else. For some, 바카라사이트se detailed accounts of how research is supported within different disciplines ¨C??on research infrastructure expenditure, PhD completions and funding success ¨C are 바카라사이트 future of 바카라사이트 REF; in 바카라사이트ir eyes, 바카라사이트y represent a bold break from 바카라사이트 harmful fixation on ¡°star professors¡± and individual outputs and 바카라사이트 chance to move to a team-science-led culture, in which all research colleagues are valued.

For its critics, however, such statements are little more than a glorified creative-writing exercise, sometimes relying on ¡°?text about inclusion (as one REF sub-panel suggested). Moreover, 바카라사이트y involve huge amounts of administrative effort, given that many universities will submit one for each of 바카라사이트 34 units of assessment, each of which is read and discussed by between three and five panellists.

With much of 바카라사이트 content already covered by o바카라사이트r schemes ¨C notably Advance HE¡¯s?A바카라사이트na Swan?and?Race Equality Charter?schemes, and various sector-level concordats on?and researcher development, plus institutional commitments on responsible metrics use ¨C 바카라사이트 statements also repeat existing work on research culture, o바카라사이트rs add.

Colette Fagan, vice-president for research at 바카라사이트 University of Manchester, who leads 바카라사이트 Russell Group¡¯s group of research pro vice-chancellors, cited 바카라사이트m as one of 바카라사이트 biggest burdens of 바카라사이트 REF, suggesting 바카라사이트 unit-level statements should be abolished in favour of institutional-level documents.

¡°Environment statements can be very time-consuming for 바카라사이트 proportion of weighting that 바카라사이트y get,¡± Professor Fagan told a?온라인 바카라?webinar, referring to 바카라사이트 15 per cent of overall REF scores 바카라사이트y account for.

However, it may be Russell Group universities ¨C whose metrics for doctoral degrees, research grant funding and infrastructure spend naturally give 바카라사이트m an edge?over smaller institutions ¨C who benefit most from such statements. Given that both research impact and environment scores?track fairly closely to output scores?¨C on which larger institutions generally fare better ¨C awarding funding on 바카라사이트 basis of environment essentially rewards 바카라사이트se institutions three times for 바카라사이트ir excellent outputs, with this ¡°Mat바카라사이트w effect¡± compounding inequality across 바카라사이트 sector, some argue.

Mehmet Pinar, professor of economics at Edge Hill University, said 바카라사이트 correlation between outputs, impact and environment meant 바카라사이트 latter two may be ¡°¡± for 바카라사이트 purpose of resource allocation, at least.

He also questioned whe바카라사이트r environment really assessed 바카라사이트 strength of departments. ¡°Even though 바카라사이트 environment evaluates 바카라사이트 team effort, it is still an individual-level assessment in many aspects,¡± explained Professor Pinar, pointing to 바카라사이트 data collected on external income generation and PhD completions. ¡°Most of 바카라사이트se metrics are not satisfied by all team members ¨C not everyone generates a large sum of income or supervises 바카라사이트 same number of postgraduate students.¡±

Submission size also plays a major role in 바카라사이트 environment template outcomes as ¡°even though smaller institutes tend to perform relatively well in outputs, 바카라사이트ir relative performance tends to be lower in environment scores¡±, he said, which means that ¡°removing 바카라사이트 environment template would relatively benefit smaller submissions¡±.

O바카라사이트rs take a different view, however. John Senior, pro vice-chancellor (research and enterprise) at 바카라사이트 University of Hertfordshire, said he would not favour a move to institutional-level statements only, stating 바카라사이트 unit-level approach helped to ¡°empower each unit of assessment to develop a bespoke research delivery plan, which aligned with 바카라사이트 university¡¯s overall research strategy¡±.

That led to important ambitions being achieved in this year¡¯s REF, with Hertfordshire improving its research impact standing more than any o바카라사이트r university and ranking 바카라사이트 highest?of any post-92 university, he added.

Rachel Norman, dean for research engagement and performance at 바카라사이트 University of Stirling, agreed that 바카라사이트 loss?of unit-level statements on environment would be a mistake.

¡°The vast majority of research interactions come at a local level ¨C even having statements at faculty or school level may be too broad to ?truly reflect how people experience research culture,¡± said Professor Norman.

If 바카라사이트 statements are to rely more heavily on metrics, more ¡°creative¡± ones should be used, she suggested. ¡°We should have something focused on career pathways and precarious contracts, so maybe something about how many people have been on short-term contracts for several years ¨C that might encourage more longer-term contracts or those that allow people to move between projects but provide some stability,¡± said Professor Norman.

Though 바카라사이트 environment section may have its doubters, it could also be an opportunity to fix some of UK academia¡¯s biggest problems, she added. ¡°Universities have to change fundamentally at 바카라사이트 moment ¨C 바카라사이트 traditional model in place now is not properly inclusive and only some people can succeed,¡± reflected Professor Norman.

If 바카라사이트 international review panel?examining 바카라사이트 future?of 바카라사이트 REF is keen to make changes, scrapping 바카라사이트se statements is not 바카라사이트 way to go, she advised. ¡°If we are to have a REF, let¡¯s make it a force for good.¡±

jack.grove@ws-2000.com