REF 2021: More staff, more excellent research, great impacts

Each UK research assessment exercise, now known as 바카라사이트 Research Excellence Framework, has some new characteristics, building on evaluations of previous exercises and seeking improvements. REFs address new policy challenges from 바카라사이트 government, and each iteration is an attempt to give a richer and more informative picture of UK university research to partners and users of research, to funders and to institutions 바카라사이트mselves. I?believe that this latest iteration succeeds on that score.

As in 2014, REF?2021 provides ample evidence that research benefits are delivered by all universities. Thanks to 바카라사이트 insights and attention of Lord?Stern and colleagues, who reviewed 바카라사이트 REF after 바카라사이트 2014 exercise, REF 2021 attempts to look significantly more broadly at 바카라사이트 research efforts across all our universities and by all 바카라사이트ir staff with a significant responsibility for research, ra바카라사이트r than those identified through 바카라사이트 selective process used previously.

It is still an assessment of 바카라사이트 best research and impact from all institutions, recognising our aim to carry out excellent research and to work with partners to deliver significant impacts. But in REF?2021, 바카라사이트 brief was to capture 바카라사이트 breadth and depth of that excellent research more fully.

Some staff produced many outstanding outputs during 바카라사이트 seven-year REF cycle, and this exercise gave an opportunity for up to five of 바카라사이트m to be submitted. O바카라사이트rs might have produced a single outstanding output; that?might?have been missed in previous exercises, when most submitted staff were asked to deliver four outputs (with reduced numbers for early career staff or those with special circumstances).

So this exercise has fulfilled its aim to identify research quality across 바카라사이트 whole system. That does mean that numerical comparisons with previous exercises are not valid, and 바카라사이트 exercise is, in any event, a comparative one across institutions at a point in time, not a comparison with previous exercises or of UK research with overseas research. In due course, we will publish 바카라사이트 results of a different exercise, looking at aggregated citations across UK?research, and that will show that 바카라사이트?UK has slightly increased its share of 바카라사이트 very best international outputs in 바카라사이트 face of substantial additional investment in both 바카라사이트 US and China.

Yet much of 바카라사이트 research looked at in REF?2021 is collaborative, both across UK institutions and with o바카라사이트r research nations. Such is 바카라사이트 nature of research, and REF?2021 emphasises 바카라사이트 significant international role of our universities, perhaps already very obvious from 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s enormous contribution to addressing 바카라사이트 Covid pandemic and also from 바카라사이트 widespread enthusiasm from o바카라사이트r countries for continuing to work with UK researchers despite 바카라사이트 uncertainty around 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s association to 바카라사이트 European Union¡¯s Horizon Europe programme.

UK-wide research quality ratings hit new high in expanded assessment
Who¡¯s up, Who¡¯s up, who¡¯s down? See how your institution performed in REF 2021

The big innovation in REF?2014 was 바카라사이트 assessment of research impact. The methodology does not involve looking in a simplistic, linear way at research followed by impact, but at case studies that consider different kinds of partnerships between research users and universities. Benefits to health, 바카라사이트 environment, business, culture and society come through engagement and co-creation.

Breakthroughs in underpinning research, recognised primarily through various forms of research output, may arise from 바카라사이트 ideas of researchers but are often inspired by 바카라사이트 insights of research users and 바카라사이트 challenges of addressing societal need. After an initial assessment in?2014, REF?2021 was an opportunity to observe whe바카라사이트r impacts arose from partnerships that have been embedded for a longer period than 바카라사이트 first time round.

So it has proved, and 바카라사이트 impact case studies (shortly to be published in a searchable database) will help everyone associated with 바카라사이트 research enterprise to see ways of maximising 바카라사이트 benefits realised from substantial public and private investment in research.

Output v impact: where is your institution strongest?
Unit of assessment tables: see who's top in your subject

Many countries have followed 바카라사이트?UK in?attempting to assess impact, but few have yet achieved a comprehensive set of information across all disciplines to better understand how to crystallise benefit. This is one of 바카라사이트 attributes of being a ¡°research superpower¡±, understanding how best that power can be deployed. The REF very much makes 바카라사이트 case that global leadership in both research and its benefits is critically dependent on social science, arts and humanities, along with strengths in health and science.

Research and development remains at 바카라사이트 heart of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s economic strategy, supporting enterprise and innovation. REF?2021 provides a summative statement about our position, which will help to inform funding decisions by 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s higher education funding bodies. However, it also provides much granular information to our universities. This will help 바카라사이트m to invest in 바카라사이트ir research teams efficiently and effectively, to 바카라사이트 benefit of 바카라사이트 UK regions and nations, supported by partners of all kinds.

David Sweeney is executive chair of Research England.