REF2021confirms growth in research excellence and impact in the Carnegie School of Sport

Last conducted in 2014, our latest Research Excellence Framework (REF) submission included 76 independent researchers who collectively contributed 174 research outputs as well as six impact case studies that describe the benefits of our research, beyond academia. Our submission and results reflect the increased quality and quantity of our research activity, and our commitment to working together to make a difference to people, communities, and organisations.

Key highlights of our results include:

• 89% of our research (overall quality profile) was judged world-leading (4*) or internationally excellent (3*), up from 59% in 2014
• 100% of our research impact was rated as outstanding (4*) and very considerable (3*) in terms of reach and significance, up from 60%
• 100% of our research environment rates as world-leading (4*) or internationally excellent (3*)
• We are ranked 2^nd in the UK for research power

Read more about Leeds Beckett University’s full REF 2021 results

Collectively and purposefully driven by a focus on working together to make a difference, we deploy innovative, high-quality research that impacts on local, national, and international policy and practice. Pursuing an inclusive and ambitious research agenda, we cross the broad spectrum of the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities. Our research culture is founded upon a genuine commitment and capacity to work with others on real-world problems, to achieve impact beyond academia, for the benefit of wider society.

Links to research case studies: https://www.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/carnegie-school-of-sport/research/

Since REF2014 we have further enhanced our research environment, including a £45M investment in a new state-of-the-art building, secured a six-fold increase in research income, grown our postgraduate research community, and significantly strengthened links with research beneficiaries at local, national, and international levels.

About REF2021

REF2021 is the latest in a series of national research assessment exercises. It encompasses research undertaken from 2014 until December 2020, although the submission was slightly delayed by the pandemic. The Research Excellence Framework is undertaken by the four UK higher education funding bodies: Research England, the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW), the Scottish Funding Council (SFC), and the Department for the Economy, Northern Ireland (DfE). Its main purpose is to provide the evidence base for continued investment of public funds in a world-class, dynamic, and responsive research base across UK higher education institutions. The REF is a discipline-based expert review process. 34 expert sub-panels, working under the guidance of four main panels, reviewed the submissions and made judgements on their quality. The panels comprised 900 academics, including 38 international members, and 220 users of research.

The overall quality profile awarded to each submission is derived from three elements that were assessed:

a) Quality of research outputs: this contributes 60 per cent to the overall quality profile.

b) Social, economic, and cultural impact of research: this contributes 25 per cent of the overall quality profile.

Research environment: this contributes 15 per cent of the overall quality profile.