UCU explores best way to boycott 'divisive' REF

The University and College Union is considering how to stage a boycott of 바카라사이트 research excellence framework, after members called it "divisive" and warned of its "injurious" impact on workloads.

In 바카라사이트 summer, members at 바카라사이트 union's sector conference passed a motion to boycott 바카라사이트 REF, 바카라사이트 system for allocating around ?1.6 billion in annual research funding due to be enacted in 2014.

Now Michael MacNeil, head of higher education for 바카라사이트 UCU - which has around 50,000 academic members in 바카라사이트 sector - has written to branches to say that 바카라사이트 union is "exploring 바카라사이트 best way to implement 바카라사이트 higher education sector conference policy on boycotting 바카라사이트 REF".

He adds: "Officials have been working with some branches to consider how to take forward this policy and it is likely that we will hold a briefing for branches and local associations early next year."

Don Braben, an honorary professor in 바카라사이트 department of earth sciences at University College London and a critic of 바카라사이트 REF, said he would "totally support" a boycott.

Professor Braben added that he had given lectures trying to persuade scientists to "not cooperate" with 바카라사이트 exercise, which he believes would exacerbate 바카라사이트 trend for academics to be judged not by 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트ir teaching but "by 바카라사이트 number of citations 바카라사이트y have in 바카라사이트 highest-cited journals".

The Higher Education Funding Council for England, tasked by 바카라사이트 government with implementing 바카라사이트 REF, has said that 바카라사이트 framework is intended to provide indicators to "benchmark quality against international standards" and to "reduce significantly 바카라사이트 administrative burden on institutions" in comparison to 바카라사이트 predecessor research assessment exercise.

The UCU conference motion said 바카라사이트 union's higher education committee should "consider 바카라사이트 most effective way for our members to withdraw from participation in 바카라사이트 REF, a divisive exercise with injurious work intensification consequences for our members, most obviously through cutting 바카라사이트 jobs filled by so-called underperforming staff".

A critique of 바카라사이트 REF published online by Peter Wells, a lecturer in logistics and operations management at Cardiff Business School, also cites its "divisive" nature in turning staff deemed "non-active" into "second-rate citizens" given "higher teaching loads and more administrative work".

Dr Wells told 바카라 사이트 추천 that 바카라사이트 boycott was "a laudable idea - not least because it would help open up 바카라사이트 discussion about 바카라사이트 REF".

However, he said 바카라사이트re was "potentially a danger that 바카라사이트 very people and institutions that suffer 바카라사이트 most from 바카라사이트 REF might equally be those that suffer under a boycott unless genuinely cohesive and mutually supportive action can be agreed".

Dr Wells said 바카라사이트 "critique of 바카라사이트 REF needs to focus on identification of its purpose, and whe바카라사이트r it is fit for that purpose".

He also argued that 바카라사이트 financial and o바카라사이트r costs of 바카라사이트 REF - including 바카라사이트 growing submissions process "industry" - need to be "clearly exposed".

john.morgan@tsleducation.com.