In the recent Research Excellence Framework (REF 2014), a national exercise to measure the quality of research, our research was rated 51% internationally excellent and world leading.
Alongside colleagues in Sociology, Criminology, Social Work and Health, we submitted to Social Work and Social Policy panel, addressing mainly three topics: Public Policy, International Development, and Social Inclusion & Social Injustice.
We submitted an even larger number of staff than previously, increasing our research output at the top level (3 ‘internationally excellent’ and 4 ‘world leading’) from 35% in 2008 to 51% in 2014.
Our Research Power (i.e. the quality of research in relation to the number of staff submitted) not only increased significantly but at 76.2 outperforms the sector average of 60.7.
We are in the top 20 in the Social Policy sector.