REF 2021 Staff that have Significant Responsibility for Research - Consultation Meeting: 18 June 2018
Research at Bath Spa - current position • All academic staff are given time for Research and Scholarly Activities (RSA) • Staff that have received external research awards are given time for these activities funded by the grant income • Readers and Professors are given additional time for research Early Stage Researchers have a reduced teaching allocation • • The post-national 1992 agreement contract states that ‘Research staff contracts are currently negotiated at institutional level’ • If all eligible staff were submitted to REF 2021, then the University would perform more poorly that in REF 2014 with a subsequent reduction in HEQR income, and loss of reputation REF 2014: GPA for Outputs overall = 2.46 – – REF 2021: current GPA for all outputs reviewed = 1.74 2
REF 2014 Outcomes for Bath Spa • 74 FTE academic staff submitted (29% of eligible staff) 6 Units of Assessment • – English Language and Literature History – – Music & Performing Arts – Art and Design Education – – Culture, Media and Communication Grade Point Average - 2.59 • • 51% internationally excellent research overall (3* & 4*) • 110% increase in funding c£500,000 to c£1,100,000 • 89th in THES league table (previously 102nd) 3
REF 2021 - Research England decisions of staff and outputs (November 2017) • In November 2017, HEFCE announced that for REF 2021 universities should submit all eligible staff who have ‘Significant Responsibility for Research’ (SRR) - Universities were given the choice of either submitting all staff who have ‘teaching and research’ or ‘research only’ (and are acting as independent researcher) in their contracts or only those who have significant responsibility for research 4 on the census date
Current position in relation to REF Outputs The quality review of REFable outputs from the period 2014-18 shows that the GPA for the Research Outputs would be significantly reduced if we were to submit all eligible staff. For example: UoA REF 2014 GPA GPA if submit all eligible staff Art & Design 2.65 1.18 Education 2.23 1.68 English Language and Literature 2.77 2.41 (includes Creative Writing)
Option A: Submission of all eligible staff Where the ‘Category A eligible’ staff definition accurately identifies staff in the submitting unit with significant responsibility for research, the unit should submit 100 per cent of staff. Bath Spa University is not taking this route
Option B: Identification of Staff that have Significant Responsibility for Research ● Where it does not accurately identify staff (on ‘teaching and research’ contracts) in the submitting unit who have significant responsibility for research, the institution will need to implement processes to determine this. ● Institutions will need to develop, consult with staff on, and document in their code of practice, the processes to be followed for identifying who among those meeting the definition of ‘Category A eligible’ staff have significant responsibility, and are therefore in scope for submission. ● The onus will be on institutions to provide evidence that ‘Category A eligible’ staff on ‘teaching and research’ contracts who are not submitted do not have significant responsibility for research.
Research England guidance on identifying Staff that have Significant Responsibility for Research ● Staff with significant responsibility for research are those for whom explicit time and resources are made available to engage actively in independent research, and that is an expectation of their job role. Research is defined as a process of investigation leading to new insights, effectively shared. Staff engaged exclusively in scholarship would not be considered to have a significant responsibility for research ● Panel guidance will include a ‘menu’ of what the funding bodies consider may be an appropriate indicator of significant responsibility
Research England guidance on identifying Staff that have Significant Responsibility for Research ● In recognition of differences across institutions in how staff responsibilities are determined, the funding bodies do not consider it appropriate to set a generic criterion relating to a minimum proportion of time allocated for research. However, we recognise that, as indicated in responses to HEFCE Circular letter 33/2017, many institutions will want to draw on the proportion of time that is allocated for research to identify staff in scope. The funding bodies consider that this will be an appropriate approach, where there is a clear and agreed rationale for the proportion that is set.
Identifying Staff that have Significant Responsibility for Research ● Bath Spa University is taking this approach. ● This meeting is part of the consultation process with the academic community on how we identify eligible staff that have significant responsibility for research i.e. ‘Category A submitted Staff’ (SRR)
Criteria and definition for SRR - background to proposal ● In line with the University 2020 Strategy that ‘The University will significantly enhance the amount of world leading work submitted to REF 2021’ ● In line with the ‘Categories of Work, Activities and Tariffs: Best Practice’ document put in place to inform the Workload Planning Tool, 180 hours (pro-rata) per year has been agreed as the minimum time that staff should be allocated for Research and Scholarly Activity (RSA)
Identifying Staff that have Significant Responsibility for Research: University strategy alignment ● Academic Staff will be considered to be ‘Significantly Responsible for Research’ if they are evidently undertaking and achieving internationally excellent research outputs that will contribute to the University's REF 2021 submission.
Identifying Staff that have Significant Responsibility for Research - WLP alignment ● Academic Staff who have been designated as ‘Significantly Responsible for Research’ under the terms of the above definition - and will therefore be contributing to the University's REF 2021 submission - will be allocated a minimum of 180 hours (pro-rata) to support them in their research activities. ● Additional hours can be agreed with their Line Manager to undertake other research responsibilities, and to fulfil the research requirements of externally funded grants
Identifying Staff that have Significant Responsibility for Research: Review ● The RSA allocation of 180 hours (pro-rata) for individual members of staff decided on by the Workload Planning Steering Group should be reviewed on a regular basis (at least annually), and staff should be supported to develop their research profile and activities, and their learning and teaching, enterprise and professional practice activities as appropriate.
Dr Mark Loon A view from the Schools
Workload Planning Steering Group Background to ‘Categories of Work, Activities and Tariffs: Best Practice’ document put in place to inform the Workload Planning Tool
REF 2021 Timetable June-July 2018 Initial consultation on definition of Staff that have Significant Responsibility for Research July-Sept 2018 - Individual meetings with academic staff to discuss the use of the RSA allocations, informed by discussions with designated research leaders in the Schools - Guidance on Submissions published by funding bodies September 2018 Deans confirm staff that may be identified as SRR for REF purposes in order for: - Staff to be supported effectively in their research activities throughout 2018/19 to enable them to meet the SRR criteria - Unit of Assessments the University will submit in to be finalised - Targets for number of outputs and impact case studies across Units of Assessment to be set Autumn 2018 - Dry Run submission development - Code of Practice on selection of staff and outputs for REF 2021 to be developed Jan 2019 - External Review of Dry Run submissions - Submission of Code of Practice to funding bodies Feb-July 2019 Further discussions with individual members of academic staff on whether or not they are designated as SRR for REF purposes. Deans will make recommendations to RSG informed by discussions with Directors of Research and REF Manager on which staff will be confirmed as SRR for submission in REF 2021 May-July 2019 - WLP tool to be completed for all academic staff and designations of time for SRR staff to be confirmed
Any Questions or Comments? 18
Thank You researchsupportoffice@bathspa.ac.uk
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