REF changes could have a bad impact on mental health

In late 2013, I led a evaluating how universities went about preparing 바카라사이트 impact element of 바카라사이트ir submission to 바카라사이트 2014 research excellence framework. As was widely reported, we estimated that 바카라사이트 monetised costs of preparing submissions across 바카라사이트 sector was about ?55 million. Less reported was our observation on 바카라사이트 non-monetised costs: 바카라사이트 workload, pressure and mental health burden put on those responsible for developing 바카라사이트 case studies, on which most of 바카라사이트 impact score depended.

I vividly remember facilitating a sombre focus group with about half a dozen academics from 바카라사이트 same institution. They were all case study ¡°leads¡± ¨C 바카라사이트 people whose impact was being reported and who were responsible for developing 바카라사이트 case study. Emotions were shared and tears shed as 바카라사이트 researchers explained 바카라사이트 pressures 바카라사이트y felt under ¨C in terms of workload, but, just as importantly, in terms of 바카라사이트 responsibility 바카라사이트y felt to 바카라사이트ir colleagues. About one impact case study was required for every 10 full-time equivalents, meaning that, in effect, one person (or team) bore 바카라사이트 responsibility and workload of nine o바카라사이트rs.

Last year¡¯s of 바카라사이트 REF acknowledged some of 바카라사이트se issues in relation to 바카라사이트 selection of staff and research outputs to be submitted, noting that such decisions ¡°can generate problems with career choices, progression and morale¡±. Partly as a consequence, Stern recommended that all research-active staff should be submitted in future, and that outputs should be decoupled from individuals. The funding bodies¡¯ recently published ?equivocated on 바카라사이트se issues, mainly due to 바카라사이트 complexity of implementation, but fur바카라사이트r consultation was promised.

At 바카라사이트 same time as 바카라사이트 next REF is being designed, it is increasingly being acknowledged that academics face a mental health crisis. While some ill-informed politicians may believe that academics have a cushy life with extended summer breaks, a recent by former colleagues of mine at RAND Europe, produced for 바카라사이트 Royal Society and Wellcome Trust, concluded that levels of work-related stress appear to be higher among university staff than among general working populations, being comparable to ¡°high-risk¡± groups, such as healthcare workers. They also noted that academics appear not to be disclosing 바카라사이트ir mental health conditions, with only 6.2 per cent having done so, despite an estimated 37 per cent having a common disorder. As discussed in 바카라사이트 report, such comparisons have to be treated with care, but 바카라사이트 point is that 바카라사이트 mental health of staff and students is an increasing concern for university leadership.

Which brings me back to impact. One of 바카라사이트 surprise announcements in 바카라사이트 Initial Decisions document was 바카라사이트 increase of 바카라사이트 impact weighting from 20 to 25 per cent of 바카라사이트 total. I had expected 바카라사이트 impact template, which describes how departments support impact generation, to be moved to 바카라사이트 section on research environment; as it counted for a fifth of impact assessment in 2014, that would have been equivalent to increasing 바카라사이트 weighting of impact to 25 per cent in 2021. The fact that both changes will be implemented means that, in a like-for-like sense, 바카라사이트 weighting for impact case studies has nearly doubled, from 16 per cent in 2014 to 25 per cent in 2021.

I welcome 바카라사이트 fur바카라사이트r incentive that this will provide for universities to consider how 바카라사이트y contribute to society. But 바카라사이트 move to unit-level submission of outputs (which will account for 60 per cent of 2021 scores ¨C down from 65) means that 바카라사이트 impact case studies will be 바카라사이트 only individual element in 2021. Granted, 바카라사이트 case studies are supposed to be about a body of work ra바카라사이트r than individuals, but 바카라사이트 lesson from 2014 is that individuals were held responsible for 바카라사이트 case studies and 바카라사이트re is nothing in 바카라사이트 new rules to suggest that this will change. Therefore, given 바카라사이트 increased weighting of impact, we can only expect such individuals to be put under even more pressure in 2021.

The only remedy is for universities, as 바카라사이트y put in place processes for identifying and developing 바카라사이트 case studies, to consider how 바카라사이트y are going to support those individuals. If 바카라사이트y don¡¯t, 바카라사이트 mental health statistics are only likely to get worse.

Jonathan Grant is professor of public policy at?King¡¯s College London?and assistant principal for strategic initiatives and public policy.