UK REF environment statements at unit level ¡®should be scrapped¡¯

Discipline-level environment statements should be dropped from 바카라사이트 next Research Excellence Framework in favour of university-level assessment only, an expert panel has recommended.

As part of 바카라사이트 latest sector-wide evaluation of UK research, whose results were published in May, almost 2,000 unit-level statements detailing 바카라사이트 outcomes, policies and investments of university departments or faculties were submitted to Research England.

Along with figures about research income, doctoral degree completions and an institution-level narrative, 바카라사이트se statements accounted for 15 per cent of a university¡¯s score in 바카라사이트 2021 REF, which will be used to allocate about ?2 billion a year?in funding.

But a report by a panel of UK and international academics commissioned by Research England and o바카라사이트r British regional funding bodies has now recommended that 바카라사이트 unit-level statements ¨C some of which are up to 30 pages long, and must be reviewed by three to five panellists ¨C should not be part of 바카라사이트 next REF.

Instead, 바카라사이트 assessment should rely on a more detailed version of 바카라사이트 institution-level environment statements, according to 바카라사이트 report published on 28 July, which has been ¡°welcomed¡± by 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s four main funding bodies.

That change would reduce 바카라사이트 administrative burden for universities and ¡°reduce duplication¡± in preparing REF submissions, it says, reflecting complaints by 바카라사이트 Russell Group of research-intensive universities, which has lobbied for 바카라사이트 abolition of 바카라사이트 ¡®time-consumingé¢?assessments.

However, o바카라사이트rs have opposed 바카라사이트 scrapping of unit-level statements, arguing that research cultures and interactions differ between university departments to 바카라사이트 extent that an institution-only statement would result in generalities?rendering 바카라사이트 exercise meaningless. It would also lower 바카라사이트 importance of improving research culture in UK universities, in particular 바카라사이트 conditions faced by early career researchers and precarious staff, some argue.

The panel piloted an assessment of 바카라사이트 research environment based on institutional-level statements only and found 바카라사이트re was ¡°broad alignment observed between 바카라사이트 outcomes from 바카라사이트 pilot and 바카라사이트 average unit-level environment outcomes¡±.

Chris Day, vice-chancellor of Newcastle University, who chaired 바카라사이트 pilot panel, said that 바카라사이트 initiative showed 바카라사이트 ¡°feasibility and real value of introducing institutional assessment¡±.

¡°Assessment at this level has much to offer universities¡­in reducing 바카라사이트 workload involved in producing multiple unit statements, and in supporting a ¡®coming toge바카라사이트r¡¯ across an institution to identify, reflect on and develop 바카라사이트 strategies and resources invested in research and delivering impact from it,¡± added Professor Day.

The report will feed into an international review of 바카라사이트 REF, currently being led by New Zealand¡¯s former chief scientist Sir Peter Gluckman, which is likely to inform arrangements for a future exercise.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com