Update on REF process

The Research Excellence Framework (REF) is the evaluation of research that will take place this autumn and replaces the Research Evaluation Exercise which was conducted in 2007 (the RAE2008 – the year the findings were reported). The Business School will be involved in two submissions to the REF, one from to the Business and Management panel and the other to Economics.

Work is progressing on the three aspects of the REF submission: outputs (publications), impact (the influence that particular pieces of research have had on policy and practice outside academia), and environment (the research culture, research structures and wider engagement in the academic community, research funding and doctoral students).

We are in the final drafting of the impact case studies and overall impact narrative. The case studies cover contractual arrangements in the supply chain, private equity buyouts, responsible marketing, global finance networks, the use of information technology for accounting, energy markets and landfill waste.

The first draft of the environment narrative has been produced but this will require more input from academic colleagues as we move towards the submission deadline in early November. We are especially interested in academic prizes, fellowships, accolades or editorships or any other measures of academic esteem.

Timetable

The finalisation of the process of staff selection for inclusion in the submission will occur in mid April. At this point final decisions will be conveyed to everyone. After this point the only changes will be if individuals receive confirmation the new papers will appear in print before October 31st this year.

It is difficult to evaluate our position, but we are cautiously optimistic that we will perform better in both units of assessment.

Mary O’Mahony.