RAE2008

World leading research has been identified in 15 of 16 subject areas at Aberystwyth University according to the results of the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) 2008 which are published today – Thursday 18 December 2008.

Aberystwyth University is now second in Wales for quality of research and 41st out of 119 in the UK according to the Research Fortnight RAE2008 Quality Index of University Research.

The findings also reveal that 48% of research activity at Aberystwyth University is rated as world leading or internationally excellent and 97.4% of researchers work in disciplines where world leading research is undertaken.

Five academic departments (1 in 3 of submissions) had over 60% of their research activity rated 4* (world leading in terms of originality, significance and rigour) or 3* (internationally excellent in terms of originality, significance and rigour).

• 40% of research submitted by the Department of International Politics is rated 4*, placing the Department in the top 3 in the UK.

• 70% of research submitted by the Department of Computer Science rated 4* or 3*.

• 65% of research submitted by the Institute of Geography and Earth Sciences and the Department of Welsh is rated 4* or 3*.

• 60% of research submitted by the Department of Theatre, Film and Television Studies is rated 4* or 3*.
  

Professor Noel Lloyd, Vice-Chancellor at Aberystwyth University said; “I am very pleased with the results of the RAE2008 and warmly congratulate academic staff on their achievements. The hard work involved in the preparation of submissions has borne fruit.
The outstanding success of several of our departments confirms the high quality and impact of their research.”

The expertise of six members of staff at Aberystwyth University was recognised by their selection on to RAE2008 subject panels. They were Professor Ross King (Computer Science and Informatics), Professor David Ellis (Library and Information Management), Professor Ken Booth (Politics and International Politics), Professor Tim Woods (American Studies and Anglophone Area Studies), Professor Aled Jones (History), and Professor Martin Barker (Communication, Cultural and Media Studies).

For RAE2008 the quality levels are defined as:
4* Quality that is world-leading in terms of originality, significance and rigour,
3* Quality that is internationally excellent in terms of originality, significance and rigour but which nonetheless falls short of the highest standards of excellence,
2* Quality that is recognised internationally in terms of originality, significance and rigour,
1* Quality that is recognised nationally in terms of originality, significance and rigour,
Unclassified Quality that 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.