RAE 2008
What is the RAE?
The Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) evaluates the quality of research undertaken by British higher education institutions and is undertaken approximately every five years.
Its primary purpose is to produce quality profiles for each submission of research activity made by institutions. Each submission is given a rank by a subject specialist, peer review panel.
Heriot-Watt within the top 35 Universities in the UK
The results of the 2008 RAE demonstrated our growing research strengths and the quality of much of the research activity taking place here.
We moved up nine places in The Times Higher Education ranking and more than doubled the proportion of research results which were rated as being internationally excellent, from 24% to 50%.
Taking into account both our high staff submission rate and the RAE outcomes puts us within the top 35 Universities in the UK.
With the University of Edinburgh, we made joint submissions in three areas of mathematical research - Pure Mathematics, Applied Mathematics, and Statistical and Operational Research. All three of these submissions were placed in the top 5 in the UK by volume of research activity in the highest categories (4* and 3*).
Units of assessment
| School | Unit of assessment | No. staff |
|---|---|---|
| Life Sciences | 16 Agriculture, Veterinary and Food Science | 14 |
| 17 Earth Systems and Environment Sciences | 13 | |
| 44 Psychology | 10 | |
| 46 Sports-Related Studies | 9 | |
| Mathematical and Computer Science | 20 Pure Mathematics | 10 |
| 21 Applied Mathematics | 20 | |
| 22 Statistics and Operational Research | 19 | |
| 23 Computer Science and Informatics | 21 | |
| Engineering and Physical Sciences | 18 Chemistry | 19 |
| 19 Physics | 20 | |
| 25A General Engineering and Mineral & Mining Engineering (A – General Engineering) | 47 | |
| 26 Chemical Engineering | 12 | |
| Institute of Petroleum Engineering | 25B General Engineering and Mineral & Mining Engineering (B – Petroleum Engineering) | 29 |
| Built Environment | 27 Civil Engineering | 18 |
| 30 Architecture and the Built Environment | 27 | |
| 31 Town and Country Planning | 14 | |
| Management and Languages | 36 Business and Management Studies | 38 |
| 50 European Studies | 14 | |
| Textiles and Design | 63 Art & Design | 13 |
This gives an overall total of researchers submitted to RAE 2008 of 367, corresponding to approximately 90% of the University’s total academic staff.