research excellence framework (ref) 2021 results

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REF 2021: Quality ratings hit new high in expanded assessment

Four in five outputs judged to be either ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’.

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The quality of UK scholarship as rated by the Research Excellence Framework has hit a new high following reforms that required universities to submit all research-active staff to the 2021 exercise.

For the first time in the history of the UK’s national audit of research, all staff with a “significant responsibility” for research were entered for assessment – a rule change that resulted in 76,132 academics submitting at least one research output, up 46 per cent from 52,000 in 2014.

Overall, 41 per cent of outputs were deemed world-leading (4*) by assessment panels and 43 per cent judged internationally excellent (3*), which was described as an “exceptional achievement for UK university research” by Steven Hill, director of research at Research England, which runs the REF.

In the 2014 assessment 30 per cent of research got a 4* rating, with 46 per cent judged to be 3*.

Who’s up, who’s down? See how your institution performed in REF 2021 Output v impact: where is your institution strongest? Unit of assessment tables: see who's top in your subject More staff, more excellent research, great impacts: David Sweeney on REF 2021

Analysis of institutional performance by Times Higher Education now puts the grade point average at UK sector level at 3.16 for outputs, compared with 2.90 in 2014. Scores for research impact have also increased , from 3.24 to 3.35.

At least 15 per cent of research was considered world-leading in three-quarters of the UK’s universities.

And analysis by THE suggests that institutions outside London have improved their performance the most, with several Russell Group universities from outside the “golden triangle” of Oxford, Cambridge and London making major gains .

REF 2021 results at a glance: 

See here for full results table.

The results of the REF will be used to distribute quality-related research funding by the UK’s four higher education funding bodies, the value of which will stand at around £2 billion from 2022-23.

The requirement to submit all research-active staff was introduced following the review of the REF conducted by Lord Stern in 2016 and was designed to reduce institutional “game-playing” over which staff members were submitted.

Outputs in REF 2014 and 2021 

The uptick in quality may be driven by universities focusing instead on which of their researchers’ outputs should be submitted, allowing greater flexibility to pick “excellent” scholarship.

In the 2014 exercise, each participating researcher was expected to submit four outputs, but this time the number of outputs can range between one and five, with an average of 2.5 per full-time equivalent researcher expected. In the 2021 exercise, a single output was submitted for 44 per cent of researchers who participated.

University staff had welcomed the new submission rules which had removed the “emotional pressure” caused by deliberations over whether they would be “in or out” of the REF – a decision that often had consequences for future promotions, said David Sweeney, executive chair of Research England. “There is no longer that same pressure on individuals,” he reflected.

Methodology: how THE calculates its REF tables

However, the rule change has been linked to universities’ decisions to move many staff on to teaching-only contracts in recent years, with the latest data showing that about 20,000 academics  are employed on such terms compared with five years ago .

This change represented a welcome clarification of academics’ roles rather than “game-playing’ on behalf of institutions, insisted Mr Sweeney. “If these contracts represent the expectations of institutions and the responsibilities of academics, that is not game-playing, it is transparency,” he said.

David Price, vice-provost (research) at UCL and chair of the REF’s main panel B (physical sciences, engineering and mathematics), agreed that “the REF may have helped in resolving many contractual ambiguities. Game-playing has not been noticeable,” he said.

Dame Jessica Corner, pro vice-chancellor (research and knowledge exchange) at the University of Nottingham , said that “less focus on individuals with the partial separation of outputs from academics has been helpful”.  

“That outputs can be returned by institutions where individuals worked if they move jobs has reduced, though not entirely eliminated, the academic transfer market,” she added.

James Wilsdon, Digital Science professor of research policy at the University of Sheffield , agreed. “The large-scale transfers of people between institutions that we saw in the lead-up to REF 2014 have definitely reduced, which is positive,” said Professor Wilsdon, who said that while “choices around inclusion and exclusion of individuals with ‘significant responsibility’ have been complex in some institutions – particularly less research-intensive universities – some have welcomed the clarity that this brought to different roles in terms of research, teaching and hybrid roles.”

“The game-playing, where it occurs, is often more subtle: it’s about the gradual sifting and reordering of what kinds of research, and what kinds of impact, are deemed ‘excellent’,” he explained.

Kieron Flanagan, professor of science and technology policy at the University of Manchester , questioned the extent to which REF game-playing had been eliminated.

“There is bound to have been some of this happening because habits are hard to break – people who run university research have come in a management system informed by REFs over the past 10 to 20 years – some game-playing is inevitable,” he said.

However, Jane Millar, emerita professor of social policy at the University of Bath , who chaired the social sciences REF panel, believed the Stern review reforms had “worked well”.

“We saw a great diversity in the submissions, from very small to very large, from well-established and new units,” said Professor Millar, who added that there had been “examples of world-leading and internationally excellent quality across the range”.

THE Campus: How I plan to get through REF results day THE Campus: The good, the bad and the way forward: how UK universities should respond to REF results THE Campus: Don’t let the REF tail wag the academic dog

Interdisciplinary research was also “well presented”, with the Stern reforms encouraging greater links between subjects, with “sub-panels whose reach stretched through to design and engineering, physical and/or biological sciences, humanities, biomechanics, and medicine”, added Professor Millar.

With an international review body  examining the future of the REF , there has been some speculation that this could be its final incarnation.

But Mr Sweeney said that the REF remained an important tool in justifying the £9 billion or so in research funding given to institutions in open-ended funding that is likely to flow from the exercise.

[email protected]

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Print headline:  REF submission rules help push quality to new high

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Results and submissions

Introduction to the ref results, view ref results, view analysis of the ref results, submitted outputs' details, impact case study database, environment database, download the results, download submissions.

Results of Research Excellence Framework are published

12 May 2022

The results of the UK-wide assessment of university research, conducted through the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF), have been published.

The 2021 assessment process has identified a substantial proportion of world-leading research across all UK nations and English regions, and across the full range of subject areas.

For the first time, the assessment included the submission of all staff with significant responsibility for research.

This means the results provide a unique insight to the quality of research conducted across the breadth of university activity.

Recognising excellence

REF has recognised the wide distribution of excellent research, both across the UK, with over 80% of research judged to be world-leading (4*) or internationally excellent (3*) in each UK nation and English region.

It has also recognised the wide distribution of excellent research across a broad group of universities, of all sizes and types, with world-leading quality identified in 99% of participating universities.

REF assessment process

The REF provides a robust and thorough assessment of the quality of universities’ research in all disciplines, providing accountability for public investment in research and demonstrating the benefits of that investment.

In total, 157 UK universities participated, submitting over 76,000 academic staff.

The submissions included:

• research outputs
• examples of the wider benefits of research
• evidence about the research environment.

This material was assessed by a series of expert panels comprising of:

• UK and international researchers
• external users of research and experts in interdisciplinary research.

Executive Chair for Research England, David Sweeney, said:

Changes to the exercise have meant that we have been able to capture more of the excellent research undertaken by our globally-facing universities and the detailed results indicate that world-leading research is distributed widely across subjects, types of university, and in all parts of the UK. This particular exercise evidences the significant contribution research across the whole of the UK makes to the government’s levelling up agenda and reiterates that the UK higher education research sector is indeed playing its role in supporting the government to achieve its ambition as a science super power.

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University of Oxford REF 2021

The UK Funding Bodies have published the outcomes of the recent national research assessment exercise, the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021.

The REF 2021 results show Oxford’s submission had the highest volume of world-leading research. [1]

The University of Oxford made the largest submission of any Higher Education Institution (HEI) in the UK, submitting over 3,600 researchers (3,405 full time equivalent) into 29 subject areas, over 8,500 research outputs in a range of formats from journal articles to compositions, and 220 case studies about the impact of Oxford research beyond academia.

Professor Louise Richardson, Vice-Chancellor at the University of Oxford, said:

‘The REF 2021 results demonstrate once again that Oxford is a research powerhouse. The impact case studies highlight our effectiveness in putting this research in service to society by making critical contributions to global health, economic prosperity and cultural life.’

‘The REF is one of the few opportunities to see the remarkable breadth of our research and to draw together all parts of the collegiate University in a single collaborative effort, I would like to thank everyone involved for their contribution.’

Professor Patrick Grant, Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research at the University of Oxford said:

‘The publication of the REF 2021 results marks the culmination of the work done by staff across the University, especially in the past two years or so. Thank you to everyone involved in the submission — both those who, in a variety of ways, led and supported our research and impact activities, and also the many colleagues who coordinated the submission itself.’

‘We are pleased to have submitted work from researchers at a variety of career stages and from across the Collegiate university, thus giving us the opportunity to showcase the depth and breadth of our research. Our submission also shows how through our collaborations with external partners our research is used to benefit society, across the UK and around the world.’

View the full Oxford REF results  here .

[1] Largest volume of world-leading research is calculated from the sum of (overall %4* x submitted FTE) across all submissions. Full results are available at:  www.ref.ac.uk

Among the   submission   highlights are:

Digital Delius: resources for musical performance and education

Cataloguing the work of British composer, Frederick Delius, and engaging with audiences has increased knowledge and understanding of his music and the process of composition.

Typhoid vaccine improves childhood health and disease control

Trials of a new typhoid vaccine led to World Health Organisation approval, with the vaccine now administered to children in areas of high disease burden in the developing world.

Smart handpumps improve clean water access in rural Africa

Research into the inadequate servicing of local water pumps in sub-Saharan Africa has led to changes to practice, technology and policy in the provision of water services in rural Kenya and currently offers secure drinking water to over 82,000 rural Kenyans.

Routes to greenhouse gas removal

Oxford research on the the active removal of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, and their storage, has informed UK goverment policy and investments to mitigate climate change.

The Jewish country house as a site of European memory

Examining the Jewish and antisemitic histories of major properties in Britain in partnership with the National Trust, has influenced curatorial and management practices, as well as public understanding.

Elimination of malaria in remote regions of Myanmar

Implementation of malaria control programmes has achieved near elimination of the disease in the Thailand-Myanmar border area.

New software helps to boosts life chances for resettled refugees

The AnnieMOORE TM Software developed by an international team is helping to resettle refugees in communities where they are more likely to flourish.

New sensing tech for precise molecular analysis

Oxford spin-out company Oxford Nanopore Technologies' inexpensive, fast, portable, nanopore-based direct DNA and RNA sequencing has been widely used for sequencing of viruses in public health emergencies.

Roman coins online: digital preservation of transnational heritage

An online project to document all coinage used in the Roman Empire between 30 BC and AD 400, has facilitated collaboration, changed curation practices, and supported teaching in Europe and beyond.

The RECOVERY trial: Global COVID-19 treatments save lives

Investigating the effects of existing drugs on COVID-19 led to the discovery of the first effective treatment to reduce deaths caused by the disease, and has since gone on to establish three more, saving millions of lives world-wide.

Open access parenting programme prevents child abuse globally

A global effort to develop the world’s first suite of open-access parenting programmes to end violence against children is estimated to have prevented over 80,000 cases of severe abuse.

Reducing CO2 emissions through climate policy

Establishment of the ‘global carbon budget’ - a limited cumulative amount of CO 2 that can be emitted before global average temperatures rise above a target threshold - has led to wide-reaching change in climate policy.

Demonstrating the importance of Latin and ancient Greek in schools

Promoting the teaching of Latin and Ancient Greek at primary and early secondary level has demonstrated that classical language learning can be used as a tool to support literacy progress.

Making the case for sugar taxes

Modelling of the impact of health-related food taxation policies in reducing obesity and boosting health has influenced policy in Mexico, Ireland, and the UK.

Demographic and sociological interventions during COVID-19

Investigating age-specific patterns of COVID-19 mortality ‘hotspots’ of infection and healthcare supply, support bubble formation, face coverings, and vaccine deployment has shaped policy-making in response to the pandemic, both in the UK and abroad.

Zooniverse: citizen science for positive change

The Zooniverse citizen science platform has engaged over 2 million volunteers on its projects, which have led to improved disaster relief response, changes to environmental policy, and enhanced teaching in schools.

Promoting compassion and professionalism in healthcare

Research on compassion and the values of healthcare organisations aims to support doctors’ satisfaction in their profession and promote innovative, high quality healthcare for patients.

Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy to prevent depression

New approaches using Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) are being used to treat and prevent depression for millions of people around the world.

Integrating migrants in European cities

Initiatives are improving integration of migrants in major cities in the UK and across Europe through improvement of provisions for homeless migrants, new initiatives to support language provision, the provision of immigration advice, and programmes to support employment for refugees and asylum seekers.

Mitigation of mass arsenic poisoning in India

Mathematical models for the filtration of contaminants flowing through porous media have assisted in mitigation of arsenic poisoning in communities living in the Ganges–Brahmaputra Delta in India.

Misbehaving bodies: encouraging awareness of health diversity

An exhibition documenting the lives of people with life-limiting and chronic health conditions improved awareness of health diversity, attracting over 800 visitors a day.

Explore Oxford’s research impact

• Global research map
• Research impact case studies
• Research impact films

Using AND between your search terms narrows your search as it instructs the database that all your search terms must appear (in any order).

For example, Engineering science AND Robotics

12 May 2022

Results of Research Excellence Framework 2021 published

In Unit of Assessment 12, 71% of Oxford’s submission was judged to be 4* (the highest score available, for research quality that is world-leading)

Students using the 3D printing lab

Today (12th May 2022), the UK Funding Bodies have published the results of the recent national research assessment exercise, the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021. The REF 2021 results show Oxford’s submission had the highest volume of world-leading research. [1]

The University of Oxford made the largest submission of any Higher Education Institution in the UK, submitting over 3,600 researchers (3,405 full time equivalent) into 29 subject areas, over 8,500 research outputs in a range of formats from journal articles to compositions, and 220 case studies about the impact of Oxford research beyond academia.

Research from the Department of Engineering Science and Department of Materials was jointly submitted to Unit of Assessment 12 – Engineering. In this Unit of Assessment, 71% of Oxford’s submission was judged to be 4* (the highest score available, for research quality that is world-leading in terms of originality, significance, and rigour).

Head of Department Professor Ronald A. Roy welcomed the news, saying "The Department is thankful to all the staff, researchers and students who made this outcome possible by fostering a diverse, dynamic, and vigorous research environment. We are also appreciative of the efforts of our colleagues in the Department of Materials who co-authored the REF submission, and to all who contributed to the attainment of an excellent result."

During the REF submission period the Department of Engineering Science has grown substantially, with increases in the numbers of both researchers and research students, a 41% growth in academic staff, and 6 Royal Society and Royal Academy of Engineering Research Chairs currently on faculty. Two new Institutes have been incorporated within the Department, the Oxford e-Research Centre and the Oxford-Man Institute of Quantitative Finance (to join the Institute of Biomedical Engineering, the Oxford Thermofluids Institute, and the Oxford Robotics Institute). We continue to collaborate closely with industrial partners such as Ørsted, Rolls Royce plc, and Jaguar Land Rover, and have expanded our research and teaching capabilities with the addition of new facilities including a 3D printing lab, a state-of-the-art wave flume and a hypersonic wind tunnel. Oxford Engineering research continues to generate successful spin-out companies, many of which are addressing the biggest challenges facing the world today, with 31 spinouts incorporated between 2014 and 2020.

Professor Louise Richardson, Vice-Chancellor at the University of Oxford, said: “The REF 2021 results demonstrate once again that Oxford is a research powerhouse and the impact case studies highlight our effectiveness in putting this research in service to society by making critical contributions to global health, economic prosperity and cultural life.”

Among the highlighted real-world impacts of the Department of Engineering Science’s wide-ranging research are:

• The OrganOx metra, the world’s first normothermic organ preservation device used for improved and prolonged preservation and functional testing of livers prior to transplantation, enabling the safe utilization of over 70% of livers until recently deemed unsuitable for transplant
• A pioneering Coriolis-based system for the accurate measurement of fuel oil being transferred to a marine vessel, which has provided operational efficiency savings of around 3 hours per bunker barge and resulted in 10% more traffic through Singapore
• Leading in the research and development of Autonomous Vehicle technology worldwide, shaping UK policy, creating successful spinout Oxbotica, and helping establish the UK as a world leader in AV
• The collaborative development of the FAIR Principles to ensure data is Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable, with minimal human intervention. FAIR has de facto become a global norm for good data stewardship and a prerequisite for reproducibility
• GDm-HealthTM, a prescribed digital therapeutic to optimise the management of gestational diabetes, now deployed through the NHS in England and one region of the US and enabling self-management which delivers improved outcomes for both mother and baby
• The world’s first CE-marked continuous medical-grade contact-free vital-sign monitoring system, Oxevision. Oxevision software turns low-cost digital video-cameras into health monitors, allowing real-time estimation of heart rate and breathing rate with clinical-level accuracy.
• An inter-disciplinary collaboration with the Oxford Martin School which has transformed public and policy considerations of the future of work. A working paper, “The Future of Employment: How susceptible are jobs to computerisation” has been influential in shaping policy at governmental levels and influenced policymakers in the UK and US
• Enhancing the economic viability of offshore wind by creating new engineering design methods for ‘monopile’ foundations that support offshore wind turbines. The new methods reduce risk, address design conservatism and reduce associated costs, contributing to lower overall costs for wind energy. Read the case study
• Developing smart glasses, non-invasive wearable devices that use intelligent image interpretation technology to allow those who are legally blind to use their remaining residual vision. A spinout, OxSightLtd, was created to commercialise the glasses.
• A rapid test for SARS-CoV-2, which reliably detects COVID infection in 30 minutes, with no specialist equipment. The test has been clinically validated and commercialised through a the spinout Oxsed, and the product Oxsed RaViD Direct received CE mark accreditation in July 2020

More about our Research

[1] Largest volume of world-leading research is calculated from the sum of (overall % 4* x submitted FTE) across all submissions.

Full results will be published at: www.ref.ac.uk

For more information on the University of Oxford REF 2021 results please visit: https://www.ox.ac.uk/research/recognition/REF2021

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REF 2021 results

The Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021 measured research quality across UK higher education institutions.

The University of Manchester produced 31 submissions to 29 units of assessment. Each submission was awarded an overall quality profile, showing the proportion of the submission that met each of the following starred levels.

The overall quality profile was calculated from individual quality profiles for outputs (60%), impact (25%) and environment (15%).

Sort units of assessment numerically alphabetically

Use the Expand buttons to expand each profile and view the individual quality profiles for outputs, impact and environment.

Research Impact

• REF 2021 Hub
• Case studies - Arts and Humanities
• Case studies - Brain Sciences
• Case studies - Built Environment (Bartlett)
• Case studies - Engineering
• Case studies - Institute of Education
• Case studies - Laws
• Case studies - Life Sciences
• Case studies - Mathematical & Physical Sciences
• Case studies - Medical Sciences
• Case studies - Population Health Sciences
• Case studies - Social & Historical Sciences
• UCL REF Podcast

Research Excellence Framework 2021

The Research Excellence Framework (REF) is the system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions (HEIs).

The excellence of research at UCL and its positive real-world impact has improved since 2014 , according to the Research Excellence Framework 2021 (REF) assessment results. UCL is second in the UK for research power by a measure of average research score multiplied by staff numbers submitted. For this, 93 per cent of our research was graded 4* ‘world leading’ and 3* ‘internationally excellent’.

Our research received a 'grade point average' of 3.50 (out of 4) – an improvement from 3.22 in 2014. A total of 3,432 UCL academics submitted to this REF process.  See the full REF 2021 results .

UCL President & Provost Dr Michael Spence shares this video message (below) on UCL's excellent REF 2021 results.

YouTube Widget Placeholder https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9zeSs-pUqU

Submissions

UCL submitted evidence of a breadth of research activities including 8,052 research outputs such as journal articles, books, designs, exhibitions and performances. We also shared 194 impact case studies showcasing diverse impact across every faculty to combat the most pressing global challenges of our time, and we provided evidence of the environment that enables us to deliver world-leading research.  See more on REF 2021 submissions .

Through our interdisciplinary work, UCL researchers have been collaborating with local and international partners on a range of issues – from tackling inequalities and climate change and addressing health challenges including COVID-19, HIV and cancer. They have also helped preserve ancient heritage for future generations, transformed social care policy and practice, worked with industry to supply cutting-edge technology for international space missions, and much more.

You can browse our impact case studies – below – and  listen to our podcast series .  

Browse our ref 2021 impact case studies.

Building public support for sustainable development through evidence-based engagement

UCL science supports industry supplier of optical sensors to major space missions

Understanding disease spill-over from wildlife to improve public health

Protecting citizens from surveillance overreach during the COVID-19 pandemic

Changing mental health policies and practice to support young people across the UK

Creating equitable, inclusive and positive representations of girls and women in the UK

Documenting, contextualising and planning for an ancient Assyrian heritage site in post-ISIS Iraq

UCL-Ventura CPAP breathing aid: interdisciplinary working to solve a COVID-19 challenge at pace

Keeping fossil fuels in the ground: identifying unburnable fossil fuels

Transforming access to children’s social care records in England

Single-dose radiotherapy transforms breast cancer patient care

Transforming global HIV prevention strategies and the lives of people living with HIV

View all 194 case studies

Or view our case studies by faculty

UCL Arts & Humanities

UCL Life Sciences

UCL Bartlett - Built Environment

UCL Mathematical & Physical Sciences

UCL Brain Sciences

UCL Medical Sciences

UCL Engineering

UCL Population Health Sciences

IOE, UCL's Faculty of Education and Society

UCL Social & Historical Sciences

• Tweets @UCLResearch
• Tweets @UCLREF

Listen to the UCL REF 2021 podcast

Work with us.

Work with us to tackle big challenges and transform lives. Email  [email protected]

REF for UCL staff (login required)  

Research Excellence Framework results 2021

The Research Excellence Framework (REF) is a UK-wide assessment of the quality of research in universities undertaken by expert review panels. 

How did we do in the latest REF exercise?

• We move into the top 10 (joint 10th) of UK universities for research quality, up from 14th position in REF 2014. 
• All of our subject areas are now ranked in the top 30 in the UK, with four of our Departments positioned in the top five: Language and Linguistics (1st), Philosophy (2nd), Sociology (4th), Education (5th). A further eight Departments are in the top 10: Archaeology, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, English and Related Literature, Health Sciences (including CHE, CRD and HYMS), History of Art and Psychology.
• Particular recognition was given to the way research is supported at York, through facilities, mentoring and career development, and we rose from 19th to 11th place in this category.

Read our statement on our REF 2021 results to find out more about why REF is so significant.

Departmental results

* The REF exercise is a measure of research quality. The rankings within this listing are based on Grade Point Average (GPA) unless otherwise identified. Some rankings are listed excluding single or specialist institutions who returned in fewer than three Units of Assessment. 

Units of assessment

A full breakdown of the results according to the REF units of assessment is shown in the table below. 1

¹ REF is a subject based exercise, and Units of Assessment do not directly map to departments. Figures here are therefore allocated based on the majority contributing department.

• Four star (4*) : World-leading in terms of originality, significance and rigour.
• Three star (3*) : Internationally excellent in terms of originality, significance and rigour but which falls short of the highest standards of excellence.
• Two star (2*) : Recognised internationally in terms of originality, significance and rigour.
• One star (1*)  Recognised nationally in terms of originality, significance and rigour.
• Unclassified (U/C) : Falls below the standard of nationally recognised work. Or work which does not meet the published definition of research for the purposes of this assessment.

Related links

• Read our statement on our REF results
• Research Excellence Framework website

Library item label woz ere --> Centres Research centres and facilities Cross-faculty centres Faculty centres Externally funded centres All research centres   Translational research and innovation Research facilities Centre criteria Impact Impact Research Excellence Framework 2021 Flagship institutes Our priorities Research features Open Research   Coronavirus: our research and innovation Search for a research story Publications - White Rose Research Online Sheffield Player Culture Our research culture Research culture steering board Listening to our research community Our commitments Enhancing Research Culture funding 2023-24 projects 2022-23 projects 2021-22 projects Expertise Expertise Centres and facilities People Nobel Laureates Facilities Partner with us Research degrees PhD study Find a PhD PhD scholarships About PhD research at Sheffield Support for current researchers Connect Connect Partner with us Contact Donate   Research Excellence Framework 2021

The Research Excellence Framework (REF) confirms our place as a world-leading university. The results show our research and impact excellence across a broad range of disciplines and demonstrate that our research is having a significant positive impact on lives across the globe.

The REF assesses the quality and impact of research taking place in UK universities. The results inform the allocation of around £2 billion per year of public funding for universities’ research.

Research that changes lives

The Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021 results confirm our research is changing lives and shaping the world we live in.

Our vision is to produce the highest quality research to drive intellectual advances and address global challenges. The REF results demonstrate that we are advancing towards this goal. 

The REF is a retrospective exercise looking back over seven years of incredible research at our University. We’re proud of everything that our researchers, and those that support our research environment have achieved. But we’re also excited for the future and the inspiring discoveries we are yet to make.

Our REF results

92 per cent of our research is rated in the highest two categories in the REF 2021, meaning it is classed as world-leading or internationally excellent. The REF results demonstrate our research and impact excellence across a broad range of disciplines and confirm that our research is having a significant positive impact on lives across the globe.

We submitted to 25 different REF units of assessment comprising: 

• All of our 1,690 independent researchers
• 3,684 outputs (outputs can include peer-reviewed journal articles and books, as well as other types of research output such as designs and compositions)
• 114 impact case studies (impact can include examples of improved technologies, public awareness, medical treatments, government policies or structural changes in society locally, nationally and internationally)

View all REF 2021 results

Pushing the boundaries of innovation and technology

Transforming health, health care and social care

Addressing our food, energy and sustainability challenges

Developing solutions to our social and cultural challenges

Imperial College London Imperial College London

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• Research Excellence Framework (REF)
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• About Imperial research

Our REF 2021 results

Ref 2021: imperial research is best in the uk.

Imperial has a greater proportion of world-leading research than any other UK university , according to the Research Excellence Framework (REF) published today. The results are Imperial's best-ever in the UK’s research assessment exercise, showing improvements in every area of assessment and confirming our position as a world-class research university.

The College ranks top in the UK overall – with a greater proportion of 4* “world-leading” research than any other UK university.  Imperial ranks first in the UK for research outputs, first in the UK for research environment, and first for research impact among Russell Group universities .

The results reaffirm that Imperial is the best place in the UK for academics to pursue their research, with top results for its research environment. This achievement is the result of Imperial’s commitment to both discovery-led research and the translation of that work into tangible benefits for society. Imperial tops the board with the highest research impact of all Russell Group universities.

Imperial’s impact has been underlined during the pandemic, with the College’s researchers at the forefront of global efforts – modelling disease spread, pioneering the rapid development of new vaccine technology, and accelerating breakthrough treatments to help COVID-19 patients. As we emerge from the pandemic, Imperial is driving forward major strategic initiatives, accelerating a transition to a zero-pollution future , using the latest advances in machine learning to tackle societal challenges , and finding new real-world applications for deep tech discoveries .

Imperial is going from strength to strength. This excellent news about our research follows Imperial being named University of the Year by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide, this year’s University of the Year for Student Experience 2022 by the Good University Guide, our Queen’s Anniversary Prize for our COVID-19 response, and our highest ever student satisfaction scores last year.

Quotes from our leadership

Professor alice gast, college president.

“These are outstanding results for Imperial. They confirm our position as a world-class research university, and are testament to the spirit of innovation, collaboration and internationalism that runs through everything we do.I am grateful for the tremendous efforts of our whole community. Every single member of staff at Imperial has contributed to this success from academics, postdocs and fellows, learning and teaching colleagues, to technical, operational and professional services."

Professor Ian Walmsley, Provost

“Imperial is the best place in the UK for academics to pursue their research, and these REF results show that. We have created an environment that supports our researchers in tackling some of science’s deepest questions and some of society’s most urgent problems. Our research is stronger because of our collaborations – whether that’s across academic disciplines, institutions or international borders: we will always be a global institution."

Professor Mary Ryan, Interim Vice-Provost

“Imperial is a place where innovation, creativity and collaboration co-exist and thrive. Our researchers tackle the biggest challenges like climate change, future energy supplies, antibiotic resistance and national security, and they know the importance of making the most of their breakthroughs to deliver new technologies across the globe, creating a better, more sustainable and healthier future."

College results by profile and UoA

Imperial overall scores by uoa.

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Our results Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021

Research excellence framework 2021.

The Research Excellence Framework (REF) is the system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions. Research is assessed overall and across three individual measures:

• quality of research outputs (e.g. publications, performances, and exhibitions)
• their impact beyond academia
• the environment that supports research.

Results of the most recent REF for 2021, announced in May 2022, confirm the University of Reading's place as a leading research-intensive university in a competitive UK research environment. The work of 754 staff was submitted for assessment across 22 subject areas (known as Units of Assessment), including over 1,660 research outputs and 72 case studies of our external impact – working with hundreds of technicians, postgraduate research students and their supervisors, PDRAs, and professional staff.

Our research (overall outputs, impact and environment) was assessed as:

• 40% world-leading (4*)
• 46% internationally excellent (3*)
• 13% recognised internationally (2*)
• 2% recognised nationally (1*).

This represents an 10% increase in 3* and 4* research since the last REF assessment in 2014, with Reading increasing its position among UK universities. In addition, we were placed 35 out of 157 institutions in the UK by research power, a measure of the quality and quantity of research.

Our research

Research impact

The REF 2021 results reinforce real-world impact of Reading's research, with the proportion of 4* case studies (‘outstanding’ impacts in terms of reach and significance) up to 44% from 39% in the 2014 assessment.

A number of research areas recorded 100% of all assessed research impact at either 4* (outstanding) or 3* (very significant reach or significance), including Psychology, Chemistry, Maths, Computer Sciences, Archaeology, Global Development, Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences, Architecture, Built Environment & Planning, Business and Management Studies, Classics, Art, and Typography.

Discover more about the impact our research  has at local, national and global levels.

REF 2021 highlights

Our overall proportion of research assessed as world-leading (4*) has increased by 13%, with notable increases in:

• Allied Health (45%, up from 17%)
• Maths (36%, up from 15%)
• Archaeology (70% up from 30%)
• Film, Theatre & Television (51%, up from 18%).

We also saw increases in the proportion of 4* research outputs in:

• Biological Sciences (44%, up from 18%)
• Politics and International Relations (44%, up from 27%)
• Education (46%, up from 25%)
• Modern Languages & Linguistics (38%, up from 15%)
• English (57%, up from 25%)
• History (50%, up from 25%).
• Archaeology
• 1st in the UK for GPA (grade point average, which is the average of quality scorings)
• 1st for research outputs
• 96% of our research overall rated 4* and 3*
• 100% of our research impact rated 4* and 3*

Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences

Comprising work from Meteorology as well as from Geography and Environmental Sciences.

• Top 10 by GPA (grade point average, which is the average of quality scorings)
• 3rd in UK for research power
• 100% of research impact assessed as 4* and 3*

Architecture, Built Environment and Planning

Comprising work submitted from Built Environment and from Real Estate & Planning.

• 6th in UK for research power
• Top 10 for research impact
• 94% of research overall assessed as 4* and 3*

Art and Design: Typography and Graphic Communication

• Top 10 in UK for Grade Point Average (grade point average, which is the average of quality scorings)
• 8th in UK for impact
• 95% of our research overall rated 4* and 3*

Politics and International Studies

• 6th in UK for research outputs
• 97% of our research outputs rated 4* or 3*

Business and Management Studies 

Comprising work from the Henley Business School plus submissions from Economics

• the largest single Unit submitted, with over 100 staff
• ranked in the top quartile for research power
• ranked 17th (of 108) for impact

We also submitted two new units in REF 2021, with both achieving strong results.

• Computer Sciences : 100% of our research impact rated 4* and 3*
• Global Development : rated 9th in UK with 100% of our research impact rated 4* and 3*

Results for each of our Units of Assessment

Allied Health Professions, Dentistry, Nursing and Pharmacy (Unit of Assessment 3)

Psychology, Psychiatry and Neuroscience (Unit of Assessment 4)

Biological Sciences  (Unit of Assessment 5)

Agriculture, Food and Veterinary Science  (Unit of Assessment 6)

Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences  (Unit of Assessment 7)

Chemistry  (Unit of Assessment 8)

Mathematical Sciences  (Unit of Assessment 10)

Computer Science and Informatics  (Unit of Assessment 11)

Architecture, Built Environment and Planning  (Unit of Assessment 13)

Archaeology  (Unit of Assessment 15)

Business and Management Studies  (Unit of Assessment 17)

Law  (Unit of Assessment 18)

Politics and International Studies  (Unit of Assessment 19)

Anthropology and Development Studies  (Unit of Assessment 22)

Education  (Unit of Assessment 23)

Modern Languages and Linguistics  (Unit of Assessment 26)

English Language and Literature  (Unit of Assessment 27)

History  (Unit of Assessment 28)

Classics  (Unit of Assessment 29)

Philosophy (Unit of Assessment 30)

Art and Design: Art  (Unit of Assessment 32A)

Art and Design: Typography and Graphic Communication  (Unit of Assessment 32B)

Music, Drama, Dance, Performing Arts, Film and Screen  (Unit of Assessment 33)

Results from REF 2014

View the full results for the University of Reading on the REF 2014 website.

Overall profile of our research in 2014:

• 27% world-leading (4*)
• 51% internationally excellent (3*)
• 20% recognised internationally (2*)
• 2% recognised nationally (1*)

Further information

Our REF Code of Practice  (PDF 349KB) sets out our processes to be fair and transparent in the inclusion of staff for submission and the selection of research outputs.

We carried out an interim and final Equality Impact Assessment  (PDF 1.56MB) to ensure we were upholding the principles of Equality and Diversity set out in our Code of Practice . This shaped our submission and identified learning to be incorporated into our institutional policies and practices. A number of recommendations and actions are being followed up.

Visit the REF 2021 website for a full explanation of REF and sector-wide results.

Subjects A-B

• Agriculture
• Ancient History
• Anthropology
• Architecture
• Biochemistry
• Biological Sciences
• Biomedical Engineering
• Biomedical Sciences
• Bioveterinary Sciences
• Building and Surveying
• Business and Management

Subjects C-E

• Classics and Classical Studies
• Climate Science
• Computer Science
• Construction Management
• Consumer Behaviour and Marketing
• Creative Writing
• Criminology
• Engineering
• English Language and Applied Linguistics
• English Literature
• Environment

Subjects F-G

• Film & Television
• Foundation programmes
• Graphic Communication and Design

Subjects H-M

• International Development
• International Foundation Programme (IFP)
• International Relations
• Languages and Cultures
• Linguistics
• Mathematics
• Medical Sciences
• Meteorology and Climate
• Microbiology
• Museum Studies

Subjects N-T

• Pharmacology
• Physician Associate Studies
• Politics and International Relations
• Real Estate and Planning
• Speech and Language Therapy
• Surveying and Construction
• Theatre & Performance

Subjects U-Z

• Wildlife Conservation

Subjects A-C

• Business (Post-Experience)
• Business and Management (Pre-Experience)
• Classics and Ancient History
• Construction Management and Engineering
• Consumer Behaviour
• Creative Enterprise

Subjects D-G

• Data Science
• Energy and Environmental Engineering
• Environmental Sciences
• Film, Theatre and Television
• Food and Nutritional Sciences
• Geography and Environmental Science
• Graphic Design

Subjects H-P

• Information Management and Digital Business
• Information Technology
• International Development and Applied Economics
• Physician Associate
• Project Management
• Public Policy

Subjects Q-Z

• Social Policy
• Strategic Studies
• Teacher training
• Typography and Graphic Communication
• War and Peace Studies
• Architectural Engineering

We are in the process of finalising our postgraduate taught courses for 2025/26 entry. In the meantime, you can view our 2024/25 courses.

Research Excellence Framework

Securing a world-class, dynamic and responsive research base across the full academic spectrum within UK higher education

The REF is the UK’s system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions. It first took place in 2014 and 2021 . The next exercise is planned for 2029.

What is the REF’s purpose?

• To provide accountability for public investment in research and produce evidence of the benefits of this investment.
• To provide benchmarking information and establish reputational yardsticks, for use within the Higher Education sector and for public information.
• To inform the selective allocation of funding for research.

The Research Excellence Framework (REF) is the UK’s system for assessing the excellence of research in UK higher education institutions (HEIs). The REF outcomes are used to inform the allocation of around £2 billion per year of public funding for universities’ research. The REF is a process of expert review, carried out by sub-panels focused on subject-based units of assessment (UOAs), under the guidance of overarching main panels and advisory panels. Panels are made up of senior academics, international members, and research users.

Latest news

View all news

People, Culture and Environment Pilot Assessment Panels

We are pleased to announce you can now apply to take part in the REF People, Culture and Environment (PCE) pilot as a member of an assessment panel. You have until midday on 12 July 2024 to submit your application. We will only consider applications received before this deadline.   We are seeking a broad representation…

Expressions of interest now open for People, Culture and Environment Indicators workshops

We are pleased to announce you can now submit expressions of interest to attend the People, Culture and Environment (PCE) indicators workshops. These will be used to co-develop indicators for the assessment of the People, Culture and Environment (PCE) element of REF 2029. You can find further details of the workshops, the timeline and how…

People, Culture and Environment Update March 2024

We are pleased to announce updates on the development of PCE for REF 2029, and associated community engagement opportunities. These are through:  We are committed to gathering input on PCE with a broad and inclusive approach and encourage all stakeholders to make the most of these opportunities to engage on this important issue for the…

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REF 2021 results

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• Research Excellence Framework /

Sheffield Hallam has been recognised for its research and impact in the Research Excellence Framework (REF).

Overall, 72 percent of the research submitted by Sheffield Hallam received the prestigious rating as ‘world-leading’ (4*) and ‘internationally excellent’ (3*).

Our research is changing lives through its impact on society, the economy and culture. These real-world impacts of our research have been judged as outstanding, with 78 percent of our impact assessed as world-leading and internationally excellent.

The University’s submission was its biggest and most diverse to date, doubling the number of staff to 500, across 14 subject areas. The submission comprised 47 percent female staff and 15 percent people from an ethnic minority background.

Key highlights from the University’s REF results include:

• 72% of research is world leading or internationally excellent (4*+3*), up from 65%
• 78% of impact is world leading or internationally excellent (4*+3*), up from 72%
• Top 10 in the UK for research impact in Planning, Sport and Art & Design
• The results moved the University up 10 places in the national research power league table

View our full results here . 

Browse our impact case studies here . 

The Submission

We 'hit the button' on our REF 2021 submission on 29 March 2021. In all we submitted 500 staff, 1106 outputs, 45 impact case studies (ICSs) and environment statements for our 14 Units of Assessment (UoAs). In all 500 staff were submitted (458.22 FTE). This represents 32% of all academic staff and a doubling of the number we submitted to REF 2014 . We also returned staff to three additional UoAs that we did not submit to in 2014. 47% of our submitted staff were female, up from 41% in 2014. We submitted 1106 outputs to REF 2021. As well as journal articles, this included 118 hardcopy books, 69 creative portfolios (incorporating performances, designs, artefacts, exhibitions and digital media), four research reports and a patent.

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Research Excellence Framework 2021 Results

12 May 2022

The School of Computer Science and Informatics has achieved a successful result in the recently announced Research Excellence Framework exercise, with 96% of our research considered world leading or internationally excellent.

The Research Excellence Framework (REF) is a UK wide research assessment of university research performance which takes place every seven years. The results for the 2021 REF were announced on Thursday 12 th May.

In addition to increasing our GPA for each area, we are delighted that our research power, which is an indicator of the scale and quality of our research submission, has tripled since 2014. We are also pleased to announce that 96% of our research submission to the current REF has been considered internationally excellent or world leading, which recognises a significant improvement in our research performance.

Since the 2014 REF exercise our School has seen considerable growth in staff and students. We submitted 100% of our current eligible research staff for REF 2021, representing a marked growth in our submission.

In addition, 100% of our research impact has been assessed as outstanding or very significant, which reflects our strong links with industry and other research partners.

The Head of School, Professor Stuart Allen, said: “I am extremely proud of our REF result which recognises the quality of our research performance over the last seven years. Our School has almost doubled in size since the last REF exercise - returning 100% of our eligible staff reflects our research-intensive culture, our inclusive environmentand the excitement and enthusiasm generated by the excellent cohort of early career researchers that we have recruited . The research environment in our School has been transformed by the excellent facilities and opportunities for collaboration that our new Abacws building now offers. Our results are a testament not only to the hard work and expertise of our research staff but to the contribution of all the staff within our School.”

The School of Computer Science and Informatics has a strong tradition of interdisciplinary research and this has led to the establishment of five university research centres focusing on Cyber Security, Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Crime and Security and Social Sciences.

Our close collaborative relationships with industry and academic partners have contributed to the global impact of our research, as is exemplified by our research into detecting and preventing malicious software .

Professor Allen said: “The strong partnerships we have developed with industry and other organisations have strengthened our research and supported our commitment to addressing the global challenges associated with our discipline.”

Further information about the Cardiff University REF 2021 submission is available on the university's central research pages.

Find out more about research in the School of Computer Science and Informatics

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Research Excellence Framework 2021 results

Discover what makes Manchester Met a leading university for research.

REF explained

The Research Excellence Framework (REF) assesses the quality of research in UK higher education.

Its results inform the allocation of research funding, provide benchmarking information for rankings and give accountability for public investment in research.

The REF measures the:

• quality of research outputs
• significance and reach of impact
• sustainability of the research environment

It also enables a calculation of research power — the grade point average multiplied by the number of full-time equivalent staff submitted.

The most recent REF was announced in 2022. The next REF is planned for 2029.

Manchester Met REF 2021 results

World-leading research

Headline results.

We have four subjects in the top 10 for research power — Art and Design, Education, English and Sport.

Research power ranking

We are the second ranked modern university for research power, ranked 38th in the UK overall

Huge rise in researchers

More than double the number of staff submitted — from 339 in 2014 to 745 in 2021.

90% of our research impact is world-leading or internationally excellent.

Unit of assessment highlights

Art and design.

In Art and Design, we are second in the UK for the power of our research.

Business and management

In Business and Management, we have tripled the size of our submission since 2014. We are now in the top 40 for research power.

We have an outstanding, world-class Education research department, with 100% of our research impact in Education rated as world-leading or internationally excellent.

Engineering

100% of our research impact in Engineering is world-leading or internationally excellent — and 75% is at the highest 4* level.

We are a world-class English department — 70% of our research impact is rated as world-leading.

Environmental sciences

100% of our research impact in Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences is world-leading or internationally excellent — and 75% is at the highest 4* level.

We are the top modern university for the power of our research in Sociology.

In Sport, we are sixth in the UK for the power of research — with 95% of our outputs being world-leading or internationally excellent.

Breakdown by unit of assessment

Allied health professions, dentistry, nursing and pharmacy, art and design, business and management studies, computer science and informatics, earth systems and environmental sciences, english language and literature, social work and social policy, sport and exercise sciences, leisure and tourism, missions and stories.

Research missions

Discover our five research missions — helping us to better understand the world around us and share new insights with policymakers, businesses and wider society.

Research impact stories

See how our research has real-world benefits for society, culture, the environment and the economy.

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Leicester rises up the Complete University Guide table

The University of Leicester has risen up the rankings in the 2025 Complete University Guide.

Leicester went up two places from 38 th to 36 th in the league table ranking of 130 UK Higher Education institutions , which was published on Tuesday 14 May.

The University’s performance in the National Student Survey , which records UK students’ satisfaction levels with their university experience , was a factor behind the rise .

The University was also placed 20th for academic services spend and 27 th for the quality of its research , in the guide .

Subjects-wise, English saw the biggest rise, moving up eight places to 29 th , with Italian (10 th ) and Medicine (11 th ) being Leicester’s best-performing subjects.

Professor Liz Jones, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education) at the University of Leicester, said : “ I’m delighted to see the University of Leicester continuing to perform strongly in the C omplete University Guide. Rising two places again this year is testament to our commitment to provide the v ery best education for all of our students ”.

The rankings rise comes a matter of months after the University received Gold in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023, which means the experience students have and the outcomes it leads to are typically outstanding.

It also follows Leicester’s ranking of 30th in the Times Higher Education’s analysis of the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021 results, its best-ever performance in a national research assessment exercise, indicating that the University is one of the few in the country to demonstrate excellence in both teaching and research.

You can view the data behind the ranking on the Complete University Guide website .

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REF 2021 - Research Excellence Framework

Our results

Our case studies

What is the REF?

Our research is changing the world, to create a sustainable, healthy and socially just future.

We’re impacting lives and addressing global challenges: more than 90% of our research has internationally excellent impact., our research impact has grown more than any other russell group university., we are doing more world-leading research than ever before..

REF 2021 is the national assessment of the strength of UK research. The results show that we at Exeter have increased the proportion of our research which is world-leading by more than 60% and increased the size of our research community by 70%.

•   More than 99% of our research is of international quality, with 89% internationally excellent and 47% world-leading
•   Our world-leading research impact has grown by 72% since 2014, more than any other Russell Group university
•   94% of our research has internationally excellent impact, and 60% has world-leading impact
•   12 of our subjects are in the Top 10 for world-leading impact in their area
•   10 of our disciplines are in the Top 10 for their overall world-leading performance with 18 in the Top 20
•   We are No1 in the UK for world-leading research in Sport Science
•   We are No1 in the UK for world-leading research in Theology and Religious Studies
•   We are No2 in the UK for world-leading research in our Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies (Area Studies)

Read more of the case studies we submitted to REF 2021 >>

You can’t beet it: beetroot juice as a nutritional ergogenic aid for sport and exercise performance

Read more >>

The Wake of Islamic State: Shaping UK Foreign and Military Policy in Iraq

Label-free imaging of the ingestion and accumulation of microplastics in marine organisms

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