BU is celebrating being the fourth most improved university in the UK for the quality of its research and achieving a high global research profile following the announcement of the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise results.
Highlights of the RAE include:
The RAE (Research Assessment Exercise) 2008 ranking means that BU is now in the top ten for research amongst the 60 new universities (UK institutions which have become universities since 1992). BU's ninth place overall moves the University ahead of Oxford Brookes, the University of the West of England and Plymouth.
In terms of individual subject areas, BU is first amongst new universities for research in Archaeology and third for Art and Design, the latter reflecting the work of the National Centre for Computer Animation (Media School) which along with the General Engineering (School of Design & Engineering) submission achieved an 'internationally excellent' rating on over 70% of research outputs. BU's expertise in Communication, Cultural and Media Studies was also acclaimed in the RAE, achieving research rated in the 'world-leading' category for 22% of its research outputs.
"We're very pleased that for the first time in its history, BU is being recognised across the board for the international profile of its research," said Professor Nick Petford, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research and Enterprise).
"Our results from this RAE clearly reflect that BU is producing research that is rated as being of world class significance and quality and we're confident that this impetus will continue for many years to come," Professor Petford continued.
The RAE announcement comes in the same week that BU received the highest category of confidence in the maintenance of its academic standards and the enhancement of quality by the UK Quality Assurance Agency (QAA). The QAA placed its confidence in the soundness of BU's management of the academic standards of its awards and the quality of learning opportunities available to students.
"Our RAE results coupled with the QAA announcement reflect the highest accolades we could receive for the quality of our research and the education we offer" said BU Vice-Chancellor, Professor Paul Curran. "We would like to thank our staff and students for helping us to achieve this double honour."
BU enjoyed another boost recently when it received around £3 million as part of wider £6.35 million grant for the establishment of an Industrial Doctorate programme in computer animation at its world renowned Media School . These achievements show that BU's strategy to become more research active has borne fruits not only for the University but potentially also for the region as a whole.