REF 2014

UK higher education institutions (HEIs) plan to submit the work of a slightly increased number of their staff for assessment in the 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF), compared with the previous Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) in 2008, said HEFCE this week.  Figures collected by the HE funding bodies show that UK HEIs plan to submit the research of 54,269 academic staff for assessment in the REF, compared with 52,401 in RAE 2008 – an increase of 3.6 per cent. The figures represent the current best estimates by individual HEIs; the actual number of staff submitted will not be known until submissions are received at the end of November 2013.  The figures show a modest degree of variance between the main discipline groups.  An increase of 10 per cent is anticipated in science and engineering disciplines, with a smaller increase in social sciences and level or slightly reduced numbers in the arts and humanities, and in healthcare and life science subjects.  The survey has also provided an insight into the range of impacts arising from HE research that are planned to be submitted as part of the assessment process.  To read this item in full visit: http://www.hefce.ac.uk/news/newsarchive/2013/name,76316,en.html.