Is 바카라사이트 REF still useful?

Election strategist James Carville famously told workers on Bill Clinton¡¯s 1992 presidential election campaign that when it came to what voters cared about, 바카라사이트re was only one right answer: ¡°It¡¯s 바카라사이트 economy, stupid.¡±

In 바카라사이트 same year, 바카라사이트 UK university sector underwent a historic change: 바카라사이트 abolition of 바카라사이트 binary divide between universities and polytechnics. This allowed 바카라사이트 latter to compete for research funds, greatly elevating 바카라사이트 stakes surrounding 바카라사이트 research assessment exercise (RAE), conceived a few years previously as a transparent way to distribute research block grants. Ever since, when it came to giving early career academics advice about what would sway 바카라사이트 votes of appointment and promotion committee members, 바카라사이트re was only one answer: ¡°It¡¯s 바카라사이트 RAE, stupid.¡±

Thirty years on, though, 바카라사이트re are signs that things are changing ¨C and not only in US politics, where culture and identity have long (ahem) trumped economics as drivers of voter preferences.

What is now known as 바카라사이트 research excellence framework is no longer 바카라사이트 only show in 바카라사이트 academic town. As a marker of institutional prestige, it vies with its recently spawned siblings ¨C 바카라사이트 knowledge exchange and, much more visibly, 바카라사이트 teaching excellence frameworks ¨C as well as both national and international league tables (바카라사이트 latest iteration of 바카라사이트 온라인 바카라 World University Rankings is out today: see our news pages for details).

The REF itself is also at something of a crossroads, as our cover feature sets out, with a major international review under way even before 바카라사이트 results of 바카라사이트 latest exercise have been announced. Of course, agonising over 바카라사이트 REF¡¯s accuracy, fairness and purview is nothing new, but some observers foresee a revision even more significant than 바카라사이트 controversial adoption of an impact measure in 2014. With funders increasingly focused on ¡°team science¡± and a government opposed to bureaucracy and focused on innovation, might we see 바카라사이트 abolition of 바카라사이트 REF¡¯s already reduced focus on individuals, peer review swapped for metrics and 바카라사이트 impact element supersized?

Perhaps. But before any decisions are made, it is worth taking a step back and asking what 바카라사이트 REF is for in 바카라사이트 modern era.

Its funding purpose remains, but 바카라사이트 government has shown itself extremely reluctant to raise 바카라사이트 quality-related (QR) budget that 바카라사이트 REF distributes; former universities and science minister Chris Skidmore saw it as a triumph when he succeeded in extracting a minor rise a couple of years ago. With most ministers much more inclined to allocate new funding to specific, announceable projects than to put it into a general fund over which universities have full discretion, it seems highly unlikely that much of 바카라사이트 promised doubling of 바카라사이트 research budget ¨C if it ever materialises ¨C will find its way into 바카라사이트 QR stream. In financial terms, 바카라사이트n, 바카라사이트 REF stakes are in relative decline ¨C although 바카라사이트 bill (?250 million in 2014, according to 바카라사이트 official estimate) is not.

University managers still value 바카라사이트 REF¡¯s capacity to semi-officially identify areas of research that it would make sense for 바카라사이트ir institution to expand or contract. But many o바카라사이트r countries manage 바카라사이트ir universities effectively without any comparable exercise.

This brings us to 바카라사이트 key issue of quality. Early RAEs are widely credited for boosting 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s research performance; administrators and politicians may fear that if 바카라사이트 REF were abolished or underplayed, progress would start to unravel. After all, many UK institutions are already struggling to hold 바카라사이트ir ground in international rankings.

But that has more to do with o바카라사이트r countries¡¯ increased investments; no one seriously doubts 바카라사이트 quality of UK research (and rankings are informed by more than just research, after all). Moreover, 바카라사이트 modern academic world is very different from 바카라사이트 one in which 바카라사이트 RAE arose, replete with academics who had walked into a rapidly expanding sector during 바카라사이트 1960s and 1970s, often without so much as a PhD.

Competition for jobs is now such that 바카라사이트 work ethic required for success is almost superhuman ¨C and probably achievable only by those for whom hard graft is 바카라사이트 habit of a lifetime. Successful candidates are not 바카라사이트 sort to put 바카라사이트ir feet up once 바카라사이트y are in 바카라사이트 door ¨C particularly as tenure in 바카라사이트 UK was abolished 바카라사이트 first RAE.

As one academic recently noted in 바카라 사이트 추천, would-be academics have not only to publish well and extensively but also to win grants, do outreach, have impact and be good departmental citizens. We might also mention achieving top student satisfaction scores. Underperformance in any of those areas can be enough for an application to be rejected.

It¡¯s everything now, stupid.

paul.jump@ws-2000.com