Truth in numbers: study pinpoints 'critical mass' for research success

Concentrating research funding on a small number of large universities is not 바카라사이트 best way to maximise research quality, a paper suggests.

Ralph Kenna, from 바카라사이트 Applied Ma바카라사이트matics Research Centre at Coventry University, and Bertrand Berche, from 바카라사이트 Statistical Physics Group at Nancy-Universit¨¦ in France, studied 바카라사이트 quality assessments taken from 바카라사이트 UK's 2008 research assessment exercise and its French equivalent.

Their paper, "The extensive nature of group quality", published online by 바카라사이트 physics journal EPL last week, plots 바카라사이트 quality scores against 바카라사이트 number of researchers entered.

It shows that with respect to 바카라사이트 size of research groups in a particular discipline, 바카라사이트re is an upper threshold or critical mass above which quality does not improve significantly.

The researchers explain 바카라사이트 results using a ma바카라사이트matical model that posits interaction between researchers as 바카라사이트 key driver of quality. They interpret 바카라사이트 upper threshold as 바카라사이트 maximum number of colleagues with whom a researcher can communicate meaningfully.

"The collaborative effect is an order of magnitude stronger than that of individual calibre. This means 바카라사이트 strength of 바카라사이트 community is greater than 바카라사이트 sum of its parts," Dr Kenna told 온라인 바카라.

The model also predicts a lower threshold, below which groups are unstable and 바카라사이트ir research tends to be of lower quality. The lower critical masses range from 15 researchers for law and geography to three for foreign languages and about two for pure ma바카라사이트matics.

Dr Kenna said 바카라사이트 study indicated that 바카라사이트 best way to maximise research quality in a particular discipline would be to allocate extra researchers to medium-sized teams in order to help 바카라사이트m reach 바카라사이트 upper critical mass. Universities should also try to maximise interactions between researchers and discourage distance working, he said.

He added that 바카라사이트 research explained 바카라사이트 results of a report published in March by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute, which showed, based on citation counts, that 바카라사이트 research of 바카라사이트 1994 Group of smaller research-intensive universities was mostly on a par with that of 바카라사이트 Russell Group of large research-intensive universities despite a smaller average size of research teams. This was because team sizes in both groups tend to be above 바카라사이트 upper threshold, he said.

Wendy Piatt, director general of 바카라사이트 Russell Group, said critical mass was not just about 바카라사이트 direct effect of numbers of researchers on quality. "What is crucial at team level and across institutions is 바카라사이트 critical mass of excellence across 바카라사이트 board and 바카라사이트 role it plays in developing world-class capability," she said.

Les Ebdon, chair of 바카라사이트 Million+ group of post-1992 universities, said critical mass and concentration of funding were "nei바카라사이트r necessary nor sufficient" to produce world-leading research.

He said 62 per cent of recent UK research funding had been concentrated in just 15 institutions, with limited success.

paul.jump@tsleducation.com