Senate

Subject: Report of Research Committee Meeting held on 20 May 1999

Origin: Confirmed Minutes

1. Strategic Plan

The Committee considered preliminary responses from the Faculties to the draft Strategic Plan. During discussion the following points were made:

• Research should be emphasised in the mission statement
• Targets for research income are ambitious.
  Engineering has improved its position significantly in recent years but it is unrealistic to expect increases in research income to be sustained at such a high level
• Increased research student numbers will only be achieved through innovative measures
• Other factors such as library expenditure and SSR's must be addressed if the University is to become a research led University

• The recent FTRI appointments will improve RAE performance. All departments are expected to achieve a minimum of a 4 rating
• Targets for Research Council income may need to be reduced for the SSH faculty
• The new Research Office will be an important factor in improving research income from other sources
• The links between sport and research and teaching should be emphasised
• Imaginative solutions will be needed to increase research student numbers

• Research income targets are considered to be unattainable. More realistic targets will give staff a greater incentive to increase research income
• Space could become a problem if the current targets for income and research students are achieved. This must be addressed by the Estates section of the plan
• An increase in research student numbers will result from the recent development funded initiative

2.RAE 2001

The Committee considered preliminary HEFCE guidance on the 2001 RAE. The guidance did not vary significantly from that issued for the previous exercise. During discussion the following points were made:

• The ratings definitions were more explicit
• A new category of staff had been introduced. The A* category would apply to academic staff who had moved institutions between 1 April 2000 and 30 March 2001. Both the former and current employing institution could select the member of staff for submission. Category A staff would count towards the judgment of quality in both institutions but only counted for funding volume purposes in the employing institution. The University would need to be rigorous in imposing the three months notice and the Secretary was asked to clarify this with Personnel
• Students based outside the University for the majority of their study should be excluded. The University would need to ensure that partnership agreements did not prevent students from being returned
• Panels would have access to the 1996 submissions and would compare performance against previous research plans
• More guidance on the structure of forms RA5 and 6 would be given. Panels might also seek additional information in certain UOAS
• Staff on leave of absence could be returned provided that their period of absence did not exceed 2 years. The Secretary was asked to clarify the position of existing staff on leave of absence
• The Engineering Faculty had conducted a close monitoring exercise on all staff and identified a publications programme which would bring all staff to the minimum requirement for return

ACTION: Secretary

The Committee considered proposals from the Associate Dean (SSH) for the introduction of practice-based doctorates. The original proposal to allow students to submit either a written thesis or a written thesis and creative work(s) or invention(s) had been previously discussed by the Directorates and supported by the Committee. However, the latest proposal included a second proposal to permit students to make a non-conventional media submission for the degree of PhD. The Committee agreed that this proposal should be referred to Faculty Boards for discussion before any recommendation was made to Senate. It was also important to ensure that a student could be awarded a Masters degree if he/she was unsuccessful in obtaining the PhD. The Associate Dean (SSH) agreed to modify the paper to take account of this point and circulate it to Faculty Boards for discussion.

ACTION: AD(R) SSH

The Committee agreed that departments should be required to submit proposals outlining how the requirements of paragraph D1(i) of the Notes for Guidance should be met when requesting an offer to be made to part-time students based overseas. The Associate Dean (Research) would be asked to approve all such proposals before such an offer was made in accordance with paragraphs 12.1 and 12.2 of the Regulations for Higher Degrees by Research.

3.3 Role of Research Thesis Supervisor following Thesis Referral

The Committee agreed that the Notes for Guidance should be amended to include a requirement for supervisors to maintain contact with research degree candidates following referral of their thesis should the candidate feel the need for advice and assistance.

The Committee agreed that the proposals from the Associate Dean (Research), Social Science and Humanities should be referred to the other Directorates for discussion.

The Committee considered submission statistics for full-time students commencing their studies in 1992 and thereafter. Although these were disappointing, the Committee agreed that it would be inappropriate to apply sanctions in the period leading up to the next RAE. It was also felt that the change in the regulations prescribing a 4 year submission period which came into effect for the October 1997 intake would improve the position.

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