Kingston University professors appointed to prestigious panels for the 2021 Research Excellence Framework

Posted Tuesday 27 March 2018

Professor Mary Chambers, Professor Peter Osborne and Professor Jane Pavitt

Three Kingston University academics have been chosen from more than 4,000 nominations to be part of subject panels for the next Government Research Excellence Framework (REF) in three years' time.

Professors Peter Osborne, Jane Pavitt and Mary Chambers will lend their significant expertise and broad experience in the run-up to REF 2021 within separate panels reflecting their individual research specialisms.

The Research Excellence Framework is a major exercise undertaken by the four higher education funding bodies in the United Kingdom, with the results driving the allocation of public funding for research. Being chosen to sit on one of these panels provides recognition of an academic's professional standing - with more than 4,000 nominations having been submitted for roles across the four main panels and 34 sub-panels for REF 2021.

Kingston University's Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research, Business and Innovation Anne Boddington, said the appointments demonstrated the high esteem the selected academics were held in within their respective research communities. "They show the growing reputation of research at Kingston University," she added. "The experience our academics acquire from being part of the REF process is invaluable. Their close involvement will help to give the University vital insight in to the REF, enabling them to offer strategic advice on the priorities and processes of the next exercise."

The initial stages establish the guidelines used within the assessment phase which will commence in 2020 and continue into 2021. Professor Peter Osborne, Director of Kingston University's Centre for Research in Modern European Philosophy, will be developing detailed guidance as a member of the Philosophy criteria setting panel.

In addition, Kingston University will be represented in the assessment phase, commencing in 2020 and continuing throughout 2021. Professor Jane Pavitt, Head of the School of Critical Studies and Creative Industries at Kingston School of Art will be a panellist on the Art and Design, History, Practice and Theory sub-panel.

Meanwhile, Professor Mary Chambers Director of the Centre for Public Engagement in the Faculty of Health, Social Care and Education - run jointly between Kingston University and St George's, University of London - will sit on the Allied Health Professionals, Dentistry, Nursing and Pharmacy sub-panel.

This news follows the appointments of Professor Anne Boddington - Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research, Business and Innovation and Professor Robert Blackburn - Associate Dean for Research at Kingston Business School, as sub-panel chairs. Each will play a leading role in shaping assessment criteria for submissions to the Research Excellence Framework in 2021.