APPENDIX 2
Memorandum submitted by the Higher Education
Funding Council for Wales
You asked us, firstly, to comment on any ways
in which the operation of the RAE differs in Wales. As you will
be aware, the RAE is undertaken as a joint exercise by all the
UK funding bodies. It is governed by a single set of rules and
procedures which apply throughout the UK, and there are no territorial
differences. I understand that you have asked HEFCE to provide
a memorandum about the operation of the RAE and I can confirm
that, since the RAE is conducted on a UK-wide basis, the information
provided in that memorandum will apply equally in Wales.
You also asked how the outcomes of the RAE will
inform the allocation of research funds in 2002. As in England,
the Council's main research grant (QR) is allocated by a formula
based on RAE ratings. I can confirm that, from 2002-03 onwards,
the outcomes of the 2001 RAE will be used for the purposes of
determining these allocations. The operation of the Council's
research funding arrangements will, however, require revision
in the light of the outcomes of the 2001 RAE, and this matter
is to be considered by the Council at its February meeting. As
in other parts of the UK, there has been a very significant improvement
in institutions' performance in the 2001 RAE in Wales. I attach
a copy of our press notice about this. The Council will determine
how best to support this improved performance within its available
funding.
The Council has already agreed, as part of its
recent review of research policy and funding, that it would, in
principle, wish to maintain the rating of 3b as the entry point
to QR funding, but that overriding priority should be given to
funding 4, 5 and 5* rated departments at levels comparable with
those of the rest of the UK. These principles will inform the
recommendations on future research funding arrangements to be
presented to the Council in February.
I would, of course, be happy to provide you
with more definite information about future funding arrangements
once the necessary decisions have been taken by the Council.
You also asked about how the RAE might operate
in future alongside any other mechanisms for allocating research
funding. The four UK higher education funding bodies are committed
to undertaking a joint fundamental review of research assessment
arrangements. We envisage that, beyond the period covered by the
outcomes of the current RAE, the arrangements which emerge from
the review will be used to provide assessments of research quality
for use in determining the distribution of the Council's research
funding. As you know, this funding is made available alongside
the funding provided mainly by the Research Councils as part of
the dual support system for research.
Steve Martin
Chief Executive, HEFCE
January 2002
|
