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CEMPS research rated internationally excellent in latest national assessment

CEMPS research has been rated as world-leading or internationally excellent in the first assessment of the research quality of UK universities since 2008, the Research Excellence Framework (REF).

This strong and consistent performance across the college highlights the breadth of quality research.

Submissions to the REF were made in 36 Units of Assessment (UoA) and the quality of research was assessed using a 0-4* rating system.

Engineering had an exceptionally strong result with 92% of research rated at 4* and 3* - this is the best performance in the University at this measure. Physics had 90% of research rated at 4* and 3*. Mathematics had 83% of research rated at 4* and 3* - up from 59% in 2008. The Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences submission included academics from three Colleges and five UoAs and had 89% of research rated at 4*and 3*.

Professor Ken Evans, Dean, said: “This strong performance across the whole college demonstrates our commitment to internationally recognised research not only in established fields but also in emerging areas such as graphene, additive layer manufacturing and renewable energy. I would like to personally thank all the academic and professional services staff who have contributed to this splendid result and I very much look forward to working with them on our exciting interdisciplinary research in the future”.

At an institutional level, 82% of Exeter’s research has been rated as world-leading or internationally excellent which represents a huge rise from 56% in 2008 and places it first in the South West.

Three Units of Assessments are in the national top 5, eight in the national top 10 and more than three quarters of all Units of Assessments are in the top 20 for their discipline, when taking research graded at 4*and 3* together, Exeter is ranked 16^th in the UK for 4* research - the very highest grade.

Date: 18 December 2014