Units of Assessment in 2014

The INHR at Ulster University has confirmed its place as an international centre of excellence in nursing and health research in the United Kingdom. The 2014 REF results show that 96% of our research was judged to be of international excellence or world leading.

Biomedical Sciences is in the premier league of universities with 100% of our research environment judged to be world-leading in REF2014. We are ranked among the top five universities in the UK in terms of research power in biomedical science.

In REF 2014 the majority of our research (60%) was judged to be “internationally excellent” or “world-leading”. The applied nature of our research was also evident in our impact case studies with (73%) scoring in the very significant/ outstanding categories.

Environmental Sciences at Ulster has increased its research quality in REF 2014, recording a 37% improvement in its levels of world-leading or internationally excellent research which includes 58% of research publications and 63% research impact judged at 4*/3* level.

Ulster has strengthened its position in the top 25% of UK universities for Computer Science research power, with 65% world-leading and internationally excellent research, up from 55% in RAE2008. 90% of Ulster’s Computer Science research environment is rated world-leading or internationally excellent.

REF2014 results show Engineering at Ulster is in the top 20 within the UK and the leading materials research institute in Northern Ireland. 100% of our research impact is world-leading or internationally-excellent and we are in the top UK quartile across all research topics.

Built Environment at Ulster University is delighted with its success in REF 2014 with 100% of our impact and 100% of our research environment judged by an international panel to be world-leading and internationally excellent. We are rated 6th in the UK power rankings.

In the 2014 REF, the Business and Management Unit of Assessment (UoA) has 98% of its research recognised as international in terms of originality, significance and rigour. This is a major improvement compared to the 2008 RAE, when the score was 85%, and places the UoA in the upper quartile relative to its peers.

Law at Ulster University: Top 5 ranking in REF 2014! 1st for Impact in UK! Outstanding result for research in Law, led by Transitional Justice Institute. 100% of impact ranked as world-leading; 82% of publications world-leading or internationally excellent.

Politics and International Studies at Ulster University has increased its percentage of world leading (4*) and internationally excellent research (3*) activity by 60% since RAE 2008 with 56% of research activity judged to be at this standard by REF2014.

Seventy percent of the unit’s research has been graded world-leading or internationally excellent, with a 160% increase in world-leading research since RAE 2008. We rank 12th in the UK for outstanding research impact (4*) and 20th for world-leading research (4*).

Education at Ulster has a strong focus on its impact and is delighted to report that it has come joint first in the UK for research impact at world leading and international levels in the REF2014 exercise. In addition, our overall research profile has improved by 140% since 2008 in terms of world leading (4*) research with 60% of our research profile now at 4*& 3*.

Research in Sport and Exercise at Ulster University has had a highly successful result in the 2014 Research Excellence Framework, with 65% of our research judged to be world leading and internationally excellent in terms of originality, significance and rigour.

Irish and Celtic Studies at the Ulster University is delighted with its success in REF 2014 in which Ulster was placed second in Celtic Studies in the UK, with 66% of our research being assessed as internationally excellent (25% thereof world leading).

Modern Languages and Linguistics at Ulster has consistently produced 4* (world-leading) and 3* (internationally excellent) research. In REF2014 50% of our publications and 70% of the impact of our work on industry and policy beyond Ulster was rated at these levels.

English at Ulster has consistently produced 4* (world-leading) and 3* (internationally excellent) research. In REF2014 over 80% of our publications and over 60% of the impact of our work on policy and practice beyond Ulster was rated at these levels.

History at Ulster has consistently produced 4* (world-leading) and 3* (internationally excellent) research. In REF2014 almost 50% of our publications and over 75% of the impact of our work on policy and practice beyond Ulster was rated at these levels.

Ulster’s research in Art and Design, including architecture, is ranked 3rd in the UK for its world-leading 4* research. We are proud to have developed an environment for staff and research students that is 100% internationally excellent and world leading.

Ulster has climbed up the overall grade-point average rankings, overtaking prominent departments from the conservatoire sector and Russell Group. In particular, 90% of the impact of our research has been judged ‘world-leading’, placing us in the top five in the UK.

An impressive 60% of our research has been judged as world leading and internationally excellent. We more than doubled our percentage of 4* world leading research. The wider impact of our research was particularly impressive, scoring 100% ‘internationally excellent’, of which 40% was ‘world leading’.