Alliance Universities are continuing to strengthen their contribution to the UK’s world-leading research, Research Excellence Framework (REF) results have shown.
University Alliance members, fifteen of the UK’s leading professional and technical universities, made 175 submissions to the REF in total. 70% of their submissions were found to have included world-leading research, with 94% including world-leading or internationally excellent research.
Alliance universities were recognised for the tangible impact of their research, with approximately one third of Alliance research being classed ‘outstanding’ for impact. Particular areas of strength were in health and life sciences and arts, design and humanities.
Debra Humphris, University Alliance Chair and University of Brighton Vice-Chancellor, said:
“Alliance universities are ambitious about continuing to grow our world-leading research output, and we are clearly taking great strides forwards. We have an important role to play in delivering on the UK’s ambitions as a science and research superpower.
Across the Alliance, we pride ourselves on our close relationships with industry, public services and our local communities, and these relationships enable us to deliver research which has a real and long-lasting impact. From the healthcare experts who have transformed the way the NHS works with care homes during the pandemic, to the creative arts academics finding new ways to combat isolation, to the criminologists tackling organised crime, our researchers are working to power the UK’s future.”
Vanessa Wilson, University Alliance CEO, said:
“We are delighted by today’s results, which highlight the world-leading research that exists across the UK university sector, regardless of subject area, region or type of institution.
If the UK sector is to continue delivering world-class research, uncertainty around future research funding must be resolved, including urgent association to the Horizon Europe programme. Thought must also be given to the impact of wider higher education reforms on the ability of universities to continue delivering the world-leading research which will power the UK into the future.”
See our Alliance research impact case studies here.
