Working the numbers

Data on research, grade inflation and graduate outcomes are published

David Sweeney, executive chair of Research England, was determinedly upbeat as he responded to Research Excellence Framework results published yesterday.

Speaking at a webinar on the REF organised by the Higher Education Policy Institute, he said that UK research “couldn’t be, in many ways, in a stronger position”. Universities had “really changed gear” to become more outward-looking and engaged with national policy issues, “some of which, one has to be honest, have been very, very difficult”. Indeed, “the future of the country depends really on universities”, something that the pandemic had brought home, backing up the view that the UK is “leading the pack in the world of research and development policy”.