Manchester academics to chair Research Excellence Framework panels
23 Nov 2010
University matches Cambridge representation on new research quality assessment body
Academic staff from the University have been appointed to key roles in the Research Excellence Framework (REF), the new system for assessing the quality of research in UK HEIs. The REF - which replaces the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) in 2014 - will be undertaken by the four UK higher education funding bodies and managed by a team based at HEFCE.
The REF will:
- inform the selective allocation of research funding to HEIs
- provide benchmarking information and establish reputational yardsticks
- provide accountability for public investment in research and demonstrate its benefits
Its aim is to develop and sustain a dynamic and internationally competitive research sector that makes a major contribution to economic prosperity, national wellbeing and the expansion and dissemination of knowledge.
The REF will be a process of expert review, carried out by expert sub-panels for each of 36 units of assessment (UOAs), which will work under the guidance of four broad main panels.
Academic staff from the University have been appointed to chair the following main panel and sub-panels:
Main Panel
- Chair of Panel C - Dame Janet Finch, School of Social Sciences
Sub-Panels
- Chair of Computer Science & Informatics Sub-Panel - Professor Steve Furber, School of Computer Science
- Chair of Area Studies Sub-Panel - Professor Peter Gatrell, School of Arts, Histories and Cultures
- Chair of Modern Languages Sub-Panel - Professor Kersti Borjars, School of Languages, Linguistics and Cultures
Chairs were appointed following an open recruitment process and only Cambridge has an equivalent representation (one plus three) to Manchester. The full list of chairs is available at:
For more detailed information on the REF, please visit: