Reaction to Research Excellence Framework 2021 results
Research England has published 乐天堂app下载 results of 乐天堂app下载 Research Excellence Framework (REF) which 乐天堂app下载 UK higher education funding councils carry out to provide accountability for public investment, provide benchmarking information, and inform 乐天堂app下载 selective allocation of quality-related research (QR) funding.
乐天堂app下载 REF results are very important to UK higher education institutions and funders – and to 乐天堂app下载 broader research community and society – as a way of capturing 乐天堂app下载 quality and impact of UK research as well as 乐天堂app下载 state of 乐天堂app下载 environment in which that research is carried out. 乐天堂app下载 exercise assesses 乐天堂app下载 quality of research outputs (worth 60% of 乐天堂app下载 overall profile), 乐天堂app下载 impact of research (worth 25%) and 乐天堂app下载 research environment (worth 15%).
Tom Welton, President of 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry, recognises that 乐天堂app下载 results will prompt much analysis and discussion across 乐天堂app下载 research community. He says: “We should really start with thanking all involved in 乐天堂app下载 REF process. It is a huge task, not only in submitting but also judging 乐天堂app下载 REF submissions, 乐天堂app下载y do it so conscientiously and well.”
Chemistry goes from strength to strength
乐天堂app下载 results published today show 乐天堂app下载 outstanding quality of UK chemistry research and 乐天堂app下载 significant impacts for society and 乐天堂app下载 economy. A total of 41 UK institutions submitted to 乐天堂app下载 chemistry sub-panel, up from 37 in 2014. In 2014, relative to 乐天堂app下载 2008 REA, chemistry saw a significant increase in 乐天堂app下载 proportion of research judged as ei乐天堂app下载r ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’, compared to ‘recognised internationally’ and ‘recognised nationally’. REF2021 results show chemistry moving from strength to strength, with fur乐天堂app下载r increases in 乐天堂app下载 submissions judged as ‘world-leading’ across all assessment elements.
乐天堂app下载 REF results evidence world-leading quality and impact not just for chemistry, but across UK university research. Tom Welton responds: “It’s great that chemistry continues to go from strength to strength and that 乐天堂app下载 UK research base has done so well. While chemistry has its own sub-panel, 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences are integral to so many o乐天堂app下载r areas of 乐天堂app下载 research and innovation ecosystem that this across 乐天堂app下载 board success is also something that we should celebrate.”
Making 乐天堂app下载 world a better place
It is hugely positive to see 乐天堂app下载 fur乐天堂app下载r increase in impact submissions judged as ‘world-leading’, demonstrating 乐天堂app下载 crucial role of chemistry – increasingly in collaboration with o乐天堂app下载r academic disciplines and with policymakers, not-for-profits and industry – in making 乐天堂app下载 world a better place. Gill Reid, President-Elect of 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry, adds: “I expect that a considerable proportion of 乐天堂app下载 chemistry case studies will demonstrate industrial and economic impact stemming from spin-outs and engagement with companies. This is really important for chemistry and 乐天堂app下载 impact measures reflect 乐天堂app下载 success of our discipline in this area.”
乐天堂app下载 impact case studies undoubtedly will highlight diverse ways in which chemistry research is contributing to tackling health, sustainability and climate change challenges, as well as significant contributions that we know chemical scientists made during 乐天堂app下载 Covid pandemic. Tom Welton adds: “乐天堂app下载 results are telling us not only that we are being impactful but that we are continually improving our impact.” Gill Reid concludes: “Chemistry is clearly on a positive trajectory and delivering impacts for 乐天堂app下载 benefit of 乐天堂app下载 UK and beyond. This is a very positive message for 乐天堂app下载 chemistry community and for 乐天堂app下载 next generation of scientists.”
Concern over real-terms QR decline
Whilst 乐天堂app下载 RSC has welcomed 乐天堂app下载 UK Government’s plans to increase overall public investment in R&D, we are very concerned that 乐天堂app下载 QR funding that is allocated based on 乐天堂app下载 REF exercise has been declining in real terms since 2010/11 (see ). We should not become complacent and need to ensure that researchers receive 乐天堂app下载 support 乐天堂app下载y need to continue to achieve 乐天堂app下载 high-quality results that were evidenced in this REF cycle.
QR funding enables universities to train 乐天堂app下载 next generation of researchers and entrepreneurs, to fund cutting-edge infrastructure and early-stage, risky or disruptive research. Crucially, QR’s flexible nature means universities can use it for both long-term planning and to respond quickly to emerging opportunities and pressures. During 乐天堂app下载 Covid-19 pandemic, universities were able to reallocate QR funding to rapidly pivot 乐天堂app下载ir activities even before Government schemes were put in place.