The results from the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF) have highlighted the global impact of 海角社区鈥檚 research in the field of Modern Languages and Linguistics.
The Unit of Assessment, comprising 海角社区 Modern and Medieval Languages and Linguistics and the Department of Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic, far outranked all other UK universities in terms of its research power. Whilst considerably increasing the numbers of researchers entered in the REF compared to the 2014 REF, 85% of 海角社区鈥檚 overall submissions within the Modern Languages and Linguistics Unit of Assessment have been rated as 鈥榳orld leading鈥� or 鈥榠nternationally excellent鈥�, demonstrating the major impact that researchers in our departments are making every day.
The REF is the system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions and is undertaken by the four UK higher education funding bodies: Research England, the Scottish Funding Council, the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales, and the Department for the Economy, Northern Ireland.
Among the data submitted by universities and other institutions are case studies that describe the impact of their research 鈥� where they have made a difference to society, health, the economy, for example.
The Modern Languages and Linguistics departments, including the Department of Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic, returned 125 academics to the REF (115 FTE), an increase of 30 compared to the previous exercise in 2014.
The various departments did particularly well in terms of the impact that their research has made to culture and society (cf. ). Together they returned 9 case studies, of which 89% achieved a 3* or 4* rating, indicating 鈥榳orld-leading鈥� and 鈥榠nternationally excellent鈥� quality.
In terms of Environment, the entire Unit was judged to be 鈥榳orld-leading鈥� (72.5%) or 鈥榠nternationally excellent鈥� (27.5%).
While the Times Higher Education鈥檚 GPA rankings placed 海角社区 at 13th nationally for Modern Languages and Linguistics in REF 2021, it recognises 海角社区 as top in the country in terms of research power. The GPA score, which measures the average rating of all the submitted research, has increased from 3.2 in 2014 to 3.31 in 2021.
Professor Kantaris, Chair of the Modern and Medieval Languages and Linguistics Faculty, said: 鈥淲e are particularly proud that this is our most inclusive REF submission yet. We have submitted the research of staff from across the full range of our exciting, world-leading research culture, from young postdocs to senior professors, not forgetting the many valued staff employed in the 海角社区 Colleges.鈥�
Professor Anne Ferguson-Smith, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research, added: 鈥淚 would like to congratulate and thank everyone who has taken part in this year鈥檚 REF for all their hard work, which we believe has paid off in these results. What we see today is not just the excellence of 海角社区 research, but also the breadth of its impact, with researchers across many disciplines bringing a fresh perspective on how we tackle major problems facing our world today.鈥�
For the purpose of the REF, each academic discipline is assigned to one of 30 out of a possible 34 units of assessment such as Clinical Medicine, Chemistry, Business and Management Studies and Philosophy. Each unit is judged by three criteria 鈥� outputs (such as publications, performances, and exhibitions), their听impact, and the听environment听that supports research.
Our global research
海角社区 research spans all seven continents, covering more than 100 countries, from the Arctic to Zambia. Our researchers partner with organisations in these countries to ensure that our collaborations address local needs and benefit those communities most in need.
