Professor Davina Porock, Assistant Dean, Research and Innovation
The REF or Research Excellence Framework is a national audit of research productivity, quality and impact. HWB submits research to three Units of Assessment (UoAs) which cover Bioscience (UoA 5), Health and Social Care (UoA 3) and Sport (UoA 26).
Hallam has run two mini-REF’s since REF2014 to assess how well we are progressing toward our goals for REF2021. The REF league tables let our students and partners know our research quality relative to other UK universities and calculate the research income we receive. Mini-REF2017 showed some good progress for all three of our UoAs where our reviewers indicated an increase in quality from REF2014.
There are some important changes to the rules for REF2021 and as a result there is an emphasis on less selectivity in the papers submitted, as a result it is vital we get more academic staff publishing, so it was a little disappointing to see that in terms of quantity both Health and Sport submitted fewer papers submitted to mini-REF 2017 than mini-REF 2015. Well done Biosciences!
| UoA | Quality REF 2014 (selective) | Quality Mini-REF 2015 | Quality Mini-REF 2017 | Quantity REF 2014 (selective) | Quantity Mini-REF 2015 | Quantity Mini-REF 2017 |
| Health | 2.82 | 2.49 | 2.84^ | 22.8 | 70 | 53 |
| Bioscience | 2.57 | 2.92 | 2.65^ | 16.2 | 20 | 44 |
| Sport | 2.56 | 2.59 | 2.63^ | 32.0 | 76 | 67 |
| SHU | 2.71 | 2.70 | 2.76 | 226.2 | 531
(509 unique)* |
567 |
The impact of our research in terms of practice, policy and teaching is becoming a more important indicator. For mini-REF2017 we reviewed 20 impact case studies. In preparation for REF2021 we will be focusing on developing impact case studies as well as supporting more staff to have papers ready for submission.
Thank you to everyone who submitted a paper or impact case study to mini-REF2017.
For more information contact your UoA coordinator:
- Health – Professor Shona Kelly
- Biosciences – Professor Tom Smith
- Sport – Dr David James
