Research Excellence Framework

The RSC has submitted a response to the Higher Education Funding Council for England's proposals for a metrics based research excellence framework to replace the current research assessment exercise.

The RSC believes that it is best to maintain an element of peer review in any replacement for the RAE.  The RSC also pointed out a number of problems in using a purely metrics based system.  The use of citations, for example, is fraught with problems especially when working at the level of individual researchers or research groups. 

Although HEFCE would like to develop a metric for research usability, the RSC did not see how such a metric could be developed.

Another issue of concern are the treatment of new staff and of staff who have had career breaks.