Assessing research in the United Kingdom: the Research Assessment Exercise 2001

Pages207-213
Date01 December 1999
DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1108/EUM0000000007251
Published date01 December 1999
AuthorJudith Elkin
Subject MatterInformation & knowledge management
Assessing research in the United
Kingdom: the Research
Assessment Exercise 2001
JUDITH ELKIN
Abstract
In the United Kingdom the quality of research in Higher Education Institutions
is assessed on a regular basis via the Research Assessment Exercises. The out-
come determines the allocation of grants for research in the following period of
assessment. They are very important and, for the first time, records management
is explicitly identified in the scope of the Library and Information Management
Panel’s subject area for the next exercise. In this article the chair of that panel
reflects on the exercises to date, the policies to be adopted in 2001 and a brief
discussion of the Library and Information Panel (Unit of Assessment 61).
Introduction
The Research Assessment Exercises (RAEs) are conducted every four to
ve years by the Higher Education Funding Councils for England,
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland (HEFCE, SHEFC, HEFCW and
DENI). Their primary purpose is to: “produce ratings of research qual-
ity which will be used by the higher education funding bodies in deter-
mining the main grant for research in the institutions”1for the following
four to five years. As such, they are critically important in terms of
research funding in the United Kingdom. The 2001 exercise is already
underway, with final ratings to be announced in December 2001, with
funding to follow with effect from 2002–2003.
There will be 69 Units of Assessment (UoAs) each with their own
assessment panels.
Records Management Journal, vol. 9, no. 3, December 1999, pp. 207–213
Records Management Journal, Vol. 9, No. 3, December 1999
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