Birkbeck History Department REF Success

Birkbeck welcomes the results for the College of the 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF), published today, December 18, 2014.

The REF is an audit of the quality of the research carried out in the UK higher education sector. It is important for all research-intensive universities, as the results will determine the bulk of research funding that each institution will receive between 2015 until 2021, just as the results of the last such exercise have done over the past six years.

The REF results show that:

• 73% of Birkbeck’s research is rated ‘world-leading’ (4*) or ‘internationally excellent’ (3*)
• In keeping with the sector, Birkbeck research was found to have improved significantly since the last exercise in 2008 when 56% of our research was rated ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’
• 83% of Birkbeck staff were returned in the REF – this is well above the sector average
• Birkbeck’s science submissions performed exceptionally well, with Psychology rated 5th in the UK, Earth Systems & Environmental Sciences rated 6th and Biological Sciences rated 11th. The last two were joint submissions with UCL
• Half of Birkbeck’s submissions were rated in the top 20 nationally with Philosophy and Sociology rated 13th, Politics 17th and History 18th, joining the success in science
• Nearly all of Birkbeck’s submissions were in the top half of all universities in the UK including Art & Design, English, Computer Science, Law and Modern Languages & Linguistics.  All Birkbeck schools submitted work at this level. There were significant improvements in Law and in Modern Languages & Linguistics

“This is a strong result for Birkbeck,” said Professor David Latchman CBE, Master of Birkbeck. “I am delighted that the REF has recognised the quality and breadth of Birkbeck’s research base, our commitment to supporting the highest standards of international research, and the impact and relevance of our work to society.”

Find out more about Birkbeck’s REF 2014 results