The Research Assessment Exercise 2008 (RAE2008) has determined that 60% of the research activity in Social Policy and Social Work at the School is of world-leading (4*) or internationally excellent (3*) quality, in terms of its originality, significance and rigour.
The strength and depth of the School’s research culture is evident in the fact that we were able to include 99% of our eligible staff in our RAE submission. Our research strength is confirmed by the Research Power index. Research Power is a measure that takes account of both the quality and quantity of research activity. Using this measure the School is placed fourth out of 66 UK institutions in the field of Social Policy and Social Work.
| Overall quality profile - (percentage of research activity at each quality level) | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FTE staff | 4* | 3* | 2* | 1* | U/C | Grade Point Ave | Research Power | ||
| 1 | London School of Economics | 50.70 | 50 | 30 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 3.3 | 167 |
| 2 | University of Kent | 55.70 | 30 | 40 | 25 | 5 | 0 | 3.0 | 164 |
| 3 | University of York | 53.75 | 25 | 40 | 30 | 5 | 0 | 2.9 | 153 |
| 4 | University of Bristol | 47.36 | 20 | 40 | 30 | 10 | 0 | 2.7 | 128 |
| 5 | University of Edinburgh | 43.90 | 30 | 35 | 25 | 10 | 0 | 2.9 | 125 |
| 6 | Lancaster University | 42.25 | 20 | 40 | 35 | 5 | 0 | 2.8 | 116 |
| 7 | Keele University | 39.50 | 15 | 50 | 30 | 5 | 0 | 2.8 | 109 |
| 8 | Southampton University (Sociology and Social Policy) | 31.50 | 35 | 35 | 25 | 5 | 0 | 3.0 | 95 |
| 9 | University of Leeds | 31.90 | 35 | 30 | 30 | 5 | 0 | 3.0 | 94 |
| 10 | Durham University | 35.00 | 15 | 45 | 30 | 10 | 0 | 2.7 | 93 |
The School’s excellent result in the RAE2008 represents the most recent confirmation of the quality of the School’s research activities. It follows an equally impressive result in the previous RAE in 2001. In 2001 the School’s research in Social Policy and Social Work was assessed separately, and the grading system employed was different. Under this system, the School was the only Social Work department in the UK to be awarded the top grade of 5* and its Social Policy grade of 5 placed it among the top six Social Policy departments in the country. Bristol’s combination of 5 and 5* in the two subject areas was unmatched by any other institution.
The School's Centre for Exercise, Nutrition and Health Sciences entered the RAE2008 separately. The Centre was rated third out of 39 institutions in the field of Sports Related Studies. Entering all eligible research active staff, 55% of the Centre's research activity was considered to be world-leading (4*) or internationally excellent (3*).
More details of the RAE2008 assessment method can be found at www.rae.ac.uk