Research Councils UK (RCUK) welcomes the announcement that the weighting of research impact in the Research Excellence Framework (REF) will initially be 20 per cent and increasing thereafter.
Professor Dave Delpy, RCUK Impact Champion said: “We welcome the significant weighting given to research impact in the REF. This underlines our belief in the importance of supporting excellent research that has a positive impact on the economic growth, prosperity and social wellbeing of the UK. RCUK supports a wide definition of impact, which includes social, economic, cultural, environmental, health and quality of life benefits.”
RCUK will continue to work closely with the Funding Councils around impact to ensure that the RCUK Pathways to Impact, and the Research Outcomes Project, as well as the REF are effective in pursuing shared objectives. The Research Councils will continue to work with HEFCE to contribute expertise in developing impact assessment methodologies.
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Further information
Contact:
Jane Wakefield
RCUK Press and Communications Manager
Tel: 01793 444592
Notes to editors
Research Councils UK (RCUK) is the strategic partnership of the UK's seven Research Councils. We invest annually around £3 billion in research. Our focus is on excellence with impact. We nurture the highest quality research, as judged by international peer review providing the UK with a competitive advantage. Global research requires we sustain a diversity of funding approaches, fostering international collaborations, and providing access to the best facilities and infrastructure, and locating skilled researchers in stimulating environments. Our research achieves impact – the demonstrable contribution to society and the economy made by knowledge and skilled people. To deliver impact, researchers and businesses need to engage and collaborate with the public, business, government and charitable organisations. www.rcuk.ac.uk.
The seven UK Research Councils are:
- Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC);
- Biotechnology & Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC);
- Economic & Social Research Council (ESRC);
- Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC);
- Medical Research Council (MRC);
- Natural Environment Research Council (NERC);
- Science & Technology Facilities Council (STFC).