REF Results 2021
The REF is the system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions and its purpose is to ‘secure the continuation of a world-class, dynamic and responsive research base across the full academic spectrum within UK higher education’.
The REF submission was a huge undertaking, supported across the University community, and I want to take this opportunity to thank the REF teams and individuals involved in bringing it to fruition, particularly in the midst of a pandemic.
All the results for the entire sector are now published on the REF website and the rankings are available in an article in the Times Higher Education Supplement.
Some of the significant School highlights include:
Physics
- 97% of our physics research is classed as world-leading and internationally excellent;
- Top in the UK for world-leading research outputs;
- Outputs 94.3% 3* and 4*, of which 71.7% 4*; Impact 100% 3* and 4*; Environment 100% 3* and 4*.
Chemistry
- Outputs 83.8% considered 3* and 4*; Impact 75% considered 3* and 4*.
Engineering
- Our joint submission with the University of Edinburgh was ranked 1st in Scotland and 3rd in the UK for quality and breadth of research based upon the standard Research Power formula as used by the Times Higher Education for the REF 2021 results - in these calculations our joint submission was ranked by combining our individual institutions’ results, https://www.erpe.ac.uk/news/ref-2021;
- 96% of our Engineering research, in our joint submission with the University of Edinburgh, is classed as world-leading and internationally excellent;
- Outputs 96% 3* and 4*; Impact 91.7% 3* and 4*; Environment 100% 3* and 4*.
