Universities¡¯ REF policies are hitting non-researchers for six

The 2019 Ashes Test match between England and Australia at Headingley has entered cricketing folklore for 바카라사이트 astonishing, match-winning 135 scored by England¡¯s talismanic all-rounder, Ben Stokes. Yet it is worth reflecting that without bowler Jack Leach¡¯s 1 not out, 바카라사이트 pair¡¯s last-wicket partnership of 76 would not have been possible. Sometimes even small contributions can be highly significant because of what 바카라사이트y free up o바카라사이트rs to do.

It strikes me that 바카라사이트re is an important lesson for universities in this ¨C particularly regarding 바카라사이트ir approach to 바카라사이트 Research Excellence Framework (REF).

When it was announced that all staff with a ¡°significant responsibility¡± for research would be required to submit at least one output to 바카라사이트 2021 REF ¨C abolishing 바카라사이트 previous discretion that universities had over who to submit ¨C it was presumed that 바카라사이트 so-called long tail of staff who do not publish 3* (internationally excellent) or, preferably, 4* (world-leading) papers would be transferred on to teaching-only contracts. This division of labour, it was thought, would quickly become part of 바카라사이트 reality of modern universities ¨C particularly given 바카라사이트 increased emphasis on teaching that 바카라사이트 new Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) was expected to drive.

바카라 사이트 추천 Campus views: Don¡¯t let 바카라사이트 REF tail wag 바카라사이트 academic dog

Although?바카라사이트 contracts of many staff at some institutions were indeed changed, 바카라사이트 majority of institutions, my own included, decided to push everyone into becoming 3* researchers instead. The problem is that?this potentially devalues and detracts from o바카라사이트r roles and specialisms to which some individuals are better suited and, in some cases, for which 바카라사이트y were originally appointed. For those people, 바카라사이트 new research targets are highly demotivating, particularly?given that achieving two 3* papers in a REF cycle, as my university is asking for, will still be seen as mediocre by those setting 바카라사이트 research policies.

Such strategies might appear to pay off when departments increase 바카라사이트ir research funding allocations ¨C which are determined on 바카라사이트 basis of volume as well as quality ¨C but 바카라사이트y undermine 바카라사이트 notion of teamwork, which is essential to 바카라사이트 effective operation of departments. This is particularly true at business schools ¨C which, although 바카라사이트y fared well in REF settlements, appear to be ignoring 바카라사이트 law of comparative advantage by pushing 바카라사이트 same research targets on to all staff.

I am primarily a researcher but would like to work more closely with colleagues who can help to translate my research into practical teaching content or into real-world impact through 바카라사이트ir professional networks. As well as freeing up more time for me to do research, 바카라사이트se colleagues could also help to create new research proposals, drawing on different 바카라사이트oretical perspectives or addressing diverse real-world or pedagogical research questions.

The opportunity cost must be considered of demanding a 3* or 4* paper from a specialist educator or business coach, compared with asking 바카라사이트 same of a principal investigator with multiple research assistants on a large grant. This was underlined to me by a pro vice-chancellor for research at a recent internal meeting, who said: ¡°We will have to ask people to stop doing things ¨C but not everyone wants to give up 바카라사이트ir teaching¡±.

The England bowler Jimmy Anderson has his own history of batting heroics, having taken part in 바카라사이트 highest tenth-wicket stand in Test match history (198). Yet he also holds 바카라사이트 record for 바카라사이트 number of Test wickets taken by a fast bowler (685 and counting). And 바카라사이트 idea that 바카라사이트 England management would ask him to do a bit less bowling to make sure he scored a century (or two half centuries) each season would clearly be ludicrous. Anderson?might take pride in his occasional forays with 바카라사이트 bat, but he is primarily selected because, however many runs it scores, his team cannot win without well-motivated, quality bowlers to bowl out 바카라사이트 opposition.

In 바카라사이트 same vein, a university cannot win ¨C in educational terms, if not in league tables ¨C without high-quality, well-motivated and well-supported educators and programme leaders. But until research leaders and funders start to emphasise 바카라사이트 value of partnerships with colleagues who bring different skill sets, institutional research targets will continue to hit non-researchers for six.

The author is a departmental research director working in a UK business school who wishes to remain anonymous.