News and Events

BU Celebrates World Class Research

18 December 2008

BU celebrates world class recognition of its research.

BU academics are celebrating after achieving their best ever results in the national Research Assessment Exercise (RAE).

Bournemouth is placed 65th amongst UK universities according to the Research Research league table which was devised according to the government’s quality rating system.

The ranking means that BU is now in the top ten for research amongst the UK’s new universities – those institutions which have become universities since 1992. BU’s ninth place overall moves the University ahead of Oxford Brookes, the University of the West of England and Plymouth.

Over 50% of BU research submitted for the exercise has been rated as having international significance – the first time Bournemouth has achieved such a high global profile for its research activities.

In the South West region, BU is rated fourth, behind research-intensive universities such as Bristol, Bath and Exeter.

Of the ten areas in which BU has been assessed, a remarkable 80% features research that is rated as being of world-leading quality in terms of its originality, significance and rigour.

In terms of individual subject areas, BU is first amongst new universities for research in Archaeology and third for Art and Design, focusing on the work of the National Centre for Computer Animation. BU’s expertise in Communication, Cultural and Media Studies was also acclaimed in the RAE, achieving research rated in the highest possible category.

“We’re very pleased that for the first time in its history, BU is being recognised across the board for the international profile of its research,” said Professor Nick Petford, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research and Enterprise).

“Our results from this RAE clearly reflect that BU is producing research that is rated as being of world class significance and quality and we’re confident that this impetus will continue for many years to come,” Professor Petford continued.

The RAE announcement comes in the same week that BU received the highest category of confidence in the maintenance of its academic standards and the enhancement of quality by the UK Quality Assurance Agency (QAA). The QAA placed its confidence in the soundness of BU’s management of the academic standards of its awards and the quality of learning opportunities available to students.

“Our RAE results coupled with the QAA announcement reflect the highest accolades we could receive for the quality of our research and the education we offer” said BU Vice-Chancellor, Professor Paul Curran. “We would like to thank our staff and students for helping us to achieve this double honour.”

BU enjoyed another boost recently when it received around £3 million as part of wider £6.35 million grant for the establishment of an Industrial Doctorate programme in computer animation at its world renowned Media School . These achievements show that BU's strategy to become more research active has borne fruits not only for the University but potentially also for the region as a whole.