Sunday, 15 May 2022
The University of Nottingham is once again among the best universities in the UK for the strength of its research, as measured by the 2021 Research Excellence Framework.
According to analysis by Times Higher Education (THE), the university is now 7th in the UK for research power, which assesses the quality of our research, its international impact, critical mass and sustainability.
The university also improved its placing in other key measures determined by REF – please visit our REF2021 results webpage to find out more.
REF2021 assessed 157 universities in the UK and will help allocate £2 billion of public funding based on the quality of their research and its impact on the world.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Shearer West welcomed our results: “Nottingham has often been recognised for the breadth of its research: to achieve quality across the range of disciplines submitted is a reflection of the talent, imagination and dedication of colleagues across the institution. However, I am especially proud of the positive impact that our research has had on people in the UK and throughout the world, which is testament to the determination of our researchers to make a difference to people’s lives.”
This short animation gives an insight into the impact of our research during the REF period (2014-21), when the lives of more than 100 million people were positively changed by our discoveries.
Our research impact pages further explore how our research transforms lives and shape the future.
We saved the NHS £2 billion, thanks to research including influencing vaccine policies, evidencing the value of community pharmacies and helping GPs reduce prescription errors. Legislation informed by our discoveries touches the lives of every UK citizen, from improving road safety, to safeguarding children online to protecting consumers.
None of this could been achieved without the dedication of our community of postgraduate research students, whose contribution is critical to the delivery of our research and mission to transform lives and shape the future.
Look out for such contributions on digital screens across campus and on social media over the coming weeks as we celebrate our REF results, and share our #WeAreUoNResearch campaign – From our world to yours – which highlights the impact of our research.