Institute of Education - best and biggest for education research
17 December 2008
Education research carried out in UK universities is among the best in the world, according to the just-released RAE (Research Assessment Exercise) results, with the Institute of Education, London (IOE) leading the way.
The IOE tops the league tables* in education research in both quality and quantity. Its performance places it in the top 10 of leading research universities and sixth across the social sciences as a whole.
The results show that the IOE has more than twice as many world-leading (4*) scholars in education as any other UK university and over one-third of its 200+ researchers are at the global cutting edge. More IOE research staff submitted their work to the RAE than researchers in any other university department in the field (218 full-time equivalent staff).
Commenting on the results, the Institute's director, Professor Geoff Whitty, said: "Education research in the UK is receiving the recognition it deserves. The affirmation of the outstanding role played by the IOE is particularly welcome, and I am especially pleased that this confirms our position among the great specialist academic institutions in the country. Education touches everyone and quality research transforms the lives of individuals and communities."
The results of the RAE, which ranks all UK universities on the quality of their research, will determine public funding of university research over the coming years.
The Institute's assistant director for research, Professor Gary McCulloch, commented: "This excellent outcome will allow us to develop further the unique critical mass in our research base at the Institute and keep educational research at the forefront on the world stage."
ends
*League tables taken from reports produced by Research Fortnight, a leading research publication.
Further information from Helen Green, press officer, +44 (0)20 7612 6459, h.green@ioe.ac.uk.
Notes for editors
The Institute of Education entered 254 staff into the Research Assessment Exercise for 2008, equating to 218.03 full-time equivalents. This represents one of the largest submissions to a single unit of assessment from any university.
The IOE conducts over one-third of all education research in the UK, and over 40 per cent of research funded by the research councils in the field. In 2007–08, the IOE was more successful than any other university institution in securing funding from the research councils.
The Institute's profile from the RAE shows 35 per cent of the work entered judged to be world leading (4*), with nearly all of international significance.
The Institute of Education was founded in 1902 as the London Day Training College to train quality teachers for the capital's elementary schools. Now over 1,200 graduates train as teachers and lecturers on its PGCE courses every year, and over 5,000 study for higher degrees.
At any one time, staff at the IOE are engaged in over 250 research projects funded by the research councils, charities, government departments and international agencies. The IOE's income from research projects of over £18 million per annum makes it one of the largest centres of social science research in the UK.