The outstanding research produced by members of the Faculty has been recognised in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF) results, published today (12th May).

The REF is the system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions. The Faculty submitted samples of the work of 108 colleagues, at all career stages across the University and Colleges, to the national REF Panel for English Language and Literature. (Colleagues in the Department of Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic were submitted as part of the Modern Languages and Literatures Panel.) The submission included publications, case studies of the impact of our research outside academia, and an account of our research environment.

The REF assessors concluded that a substantial majority of our work across these categories – 58% – was of 4* or ‘world-leading’ standard. This assessment reflects the breadth and depth of the research undertaken by the second largest Faculty/Department of English in the UK.