GuildHE reaction to Research Assessment Exercise results 2008
Professor David Baker, Chair of GuildHE and Principal of University College Plymouth St Mark and St John spoke of his delight at the successes of GuildHE members – “The RAE has achieved its aim of recognising excellence wherever it may be found. We are proud to see demonstrated that our colleagues specialising in unique niches have been acknowledged for their world class and internationally renowned successes.
It is also important to appreciate the message that high quality research is a part of every academic community and that the applicability and impact of research work is also a necessary factor in its development and its recognition.
On behalf of GuildHE members, I want to thank all the academic colleagues who have – for the past year – read, considered and judged the work of their peers and have taken such care in coming to balanced views based on these new and testing criteria. The research output of the UK secures our global position as a key destination for students worldwide and the staff achieving this success from all the 159 institutions submitting for assessment should be congratulated.”
Alice Hynes GuildHE Chief Executive Officer said “We are especially delighted to see the success of those recently awarded Research or Taught Degree Awarding powers. There has been notable world class showing from GuildHE Specialist Institutions in the arts and performance. There has been world class & international presence identified at 4* and 3 *in over 20 % of the staff submitted by GuildHE members. The recognition across the international and national spectrum shows these institutions can hold their own within the competition in their fields and they have especially featured in the education and landbased research UOAs.
Of course this is only the first half of the story as the translation of grading into funding will demonstrate the real institutional impact and potential for successful research bidding in the future. These results do reaffirm a small block of significant research-led institutions but demonstrate the operation of this higher education ecology where excellence can be found within the academic culture of a wide range of providers.”