2008 Research Assessment Exercise

High standard of Bangor University's research recognised

The 2008 Research Assessment Exercise found that world leading research was being carried out across Bangor University.

Analysis of the Research Assessment Exercise, which is a national survey that measures the quality of University research, identified world leading research in all of our 19 assessed subject areas with nearly 50% given the top grading of 3* and 4*.

Areas of particular excellence include Accounting & Finance within the Business School which is rated as the best in the UK and Electronic Engineering which is rated second in the UK.

In addition, Sports Science and Welsh are placed in the top 10 in the UK in their respective units of assessment and Psychology 11th in the UK.

In the Arts & Humanities, the School of Music had 90% of its research staff rated as world leading or of international quality.

90% of research staff in the Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences field which includes Ocean Sciences were also rated as world leading or of international quality.

The results show that Bangor’s research progress is growing year on year, that we have areas of real world excellence as well as all round strength. We are in the research elite for many subjects and this reinforces other evidence demonstrating the quality and scale of our expertise in areas which cross subject boundaries.

The results prove that Bangor has developed over recent years and is now an international research-led University. We have created a structure where academic Schools are located in one of our Colleges, and every single one of these are involved in research that is recognised as being “world leading” which is a fantastic achievement.

Conducting research on national and international standing has far-reaching benefits. Our students learn from lecturers who are at the forefront of knowledge in their various fields. By working with business, industry, service providers and policy makers the knowledge created at Bangor University is applied to benefit the world.

We combine our research emphasis with practical support and training for Welsh industries and services such as training teachers and nurses, and attract a large and growing number of international postgraduate students. This combination will help us meet the demands which governments will make over the coming years.

Bangor’s Business School tops UK Research Table

Bangor University was the only Welsh University to top any of the 67 subject tables in the UK Research Assessment Exercise (RAE).

The submission for research in Accounting & Finance by Bangor University’s Business School is not only judged as being world-leading, it also leads the UK table, ahead of all other universities conducting research in this area. 

The University’s School of Electronic Engineering was also placed in second position in the UK in a subject where the expectation is that massive capacity is required to produce research of this calibre. 

These are two vital and very different areas of research in which Bangor has been proven to excel. The consequences of research conducted at the Business School and School of Electronic Engineering have a benefit that will reach far beyond the region or even the UK. Research of this calibre is relevant to business and industry. It is, of course, a great appeal to our students to be taught by world-leading researchers at Bangor University.

Institution: H-0178 Bangor University

Number of submissions: 19