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11 December 2007

MMU strengthens research output

Countdown to RAE 2008

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MANCHESTER Metropolitan has strengthened its commitment to research by increasing the number of academic staff submitted into the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE).

MMU entered 440 staff into the nationwide review of research quality compared to 336 entered in the last RAE in 2001.

By contrast, many universities have opted to cut the number of ‘elite’ researchers.

Professor Peter Gilroy, Director of Research, Enterprise and Development said: "We have focussed more sharply on fewer Units of Assessment (subject areas) but have increased the total number of staff submitted, the number of post-graduate research students returned and the amount of research income declared."

Marriage of research and teaching

MMU has submitted around a third of academic staff (in 17 UoAs), much more than many competitor universities, underlining the strong culture of research in the university.

Vice-Chancellor John Brooks recently said that research ought to be strongly linked to teaching to offer the best possible support to student learning and employability.

Professor Gilroy said: "The university owes a tremendous vote of thanks to its researchers, their coordinators, the Research Institute Directors and their administrative teams.

"The (RAE) submission has been a fine example of a long-term, cross-university team effort.

Delighted

"I have been delighted with the way colleagues across the university have contributed to this process and look forward to the results."

He also thanked colleagues who, for one reason or another, had not been submitted and who understood that "UoAs required strategic decisions in the long-term interest of the university".

Results from the RAE will be published in December 2008 with funding allocated in a way yet to be decided early in 2009.