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Research Excellence

Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021)

Preparations are in progress for the 2021 REF. Download the institutional Code of Practice for the upcoming Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021.

The University of Bedfordshire is home to world-leading research with direct societal, economic and cultural impact. This is recognised in the UK-wide 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF), and includes major areas of research such as advancing medical knowledge of serious and chronic disease, substance misuse, language assessment, and robotics technology that supports independent living. The REF recognises the University’s research success in both quality and quantity:

  • We have more than doubled our proportion of world-leading research
  • Nearly half of our research is considered world leading or internationally excellent
  • Three times as many University researchers were submitted compared to the previous assessment in 2008
  • We have world leading research in 9 units of assessment - up from just 5 in 2008
  • The number of staff judged to be world-leading or internationally excellent in research outputs has quadrupled
  • All of our research is internationally excellent in impact, and the majority is world-leading
  • All of our research is internationally excellent in impact, and the majority is world-leading
  • Over 80% of our research is internationally recognised
  • This is our largest research area. A large team of 39 researchers submitted their research, working on a range of areas, and 90% of their work is at internationally recognised level
  • All of our research has impact that is internationally recognised
  • Over half of our publications are world-leading or internationally excellent
  • All of our research has internationally recognised impact
  • More than two thirds of our research is internationally recognised and a quarter of this work is internationally excellent
  • We are a leading University in this research area (top quartile). All of our work has impact that is recognised as internationally excellent, 60% of which is world leading
  • More than three quarters of our research is internationally excellent or world-leading significantly higher than the sector in general (69% sector mean average, 64.5% median average)
  • More than half of our research publications are rated as internationally excellent or world-leading
  • All of our research has world-leading impact, and is rated as internationally recognised or better
  • More than two thirds of our research outputs in this area are world-leading or internationally excellent
  • 60% of our research is rated as internationally recognised or better.

 

enquire

Enquire about research degrees

By telephone
During office hours
(Monday-Friday 08:30-17:00)
+44 (0)1582 489056

By email
research@beds.ac.uk

International applicants should be aware of our English language requirements

apply

For all the information you need on how to apply for a research degree and to make sure you fulfil the entry requirements go to How to apply

You should have a good honours degree (2:1 or above) or masters degree or equivalent in the relevant subject area.

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