Facts and figures

World-class research at Portsmouth

Research at the University of Portsmouth is world-class – with an average 40 per cent of the research rated internationally excellent or world-leading and 78 per cent rated internationally recognised or above. This was the outcome of the national Research Assessment Exercise (RAE 2008).

The research funding that follows from this performance increased by 13 per cent, above the national average of 8 per cent. This means an extra £800,000 for 2009/10 compared to the 2008/09 award of £4.7 million. "This is yet more good news for us and I am exceptionally pleased that our strategic decision to invest selectively in particular research strengths has been so successful," said Vice-Chancellor, Professor John Craven.

About the RAE2008 quality ratings and funding

The rating system for RAE2008 used five categories:

  • 4* = world-leading
  • 3* = internationally excellent
  • 2* = internationally recognised
  • 1* = nationally recognized
  • unclassified

The HEFCE funding weightings are: 7 for 4*, 3 for 3*, 1 for 2*, 0 for 1*. The funding is determined by the overall weighted score times the number of researchers submitted.

Portsmouth submitted research in ten subject areas, seven of which are in science or engineering. In three areas, Portsmouth was in the national top ten for research quality:

  • Allied Health Professions and Studies
  • Applied Mathematics
  • European Studies

In all remaining seven areas, Portsmouth research was more than 50 per cent internationally recognised or above:

  • Mechanical, Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering
  • Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences
  • Business and Management Studies
  • Geography and Environmental Studies
  • Computer Science and Informatics
  • Psychology
  • Art and Design

Allied Health Professions and Studies

Portsmouth is in the top three for funding in England in this subject area. The research is based in the Institute of Biomedical and Bimolecular Sciences, with contributions from the Department of Sport and Exercise Science. The majority of the research was rated internationally excellent or world-leading (3* and 4*).

Applied Mathematics

Seventy-five per cent of the research at Portsmouth was judged to be world-leading or internationally excellent. This 4*+3* score is the best in the UK, matched only by the universities of Cambridge, Durham and Oxford. Funding increased by nearly 80 per cent. The research is based in the Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation, one of the top cosmology groups in the UK, with contributions from the Department of Mathematics.

European Studies

Portsmouth's Centre for European and International Studies Research (CEISR) comes top for funding in England, confirming its status as the UK's leading centre for interdisciplinary European Studies. CEISR links together researchers from the Schools of Languages and Area Studies, Social, Historical and Literary Studies, Creative Arts, Film and Media and the Department of Psychology. The research environment was assessed to be 100 per cent internationally excellent or world-leading.

Mechanical, Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering

Research based in the Department of Mechanical and Design Engineering and the Institute of Industrial Research was rated as 45 per cent internationally excellent or world-leading (4*+3*), and 85 per cent internationally recognised or above (4*+3*+2*). 60 per cent of the research outputs were assessed as internationally excellent or world-leading and funding increased by over 120 per cent.

Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences

Research based in the Schools of Earth and Environmental Sciences and in Biological Sciences, was rated as 45 per cent internationally excellent or world-leading and 90 per cent internationally recognised or above. There was a major increase in funding.

Business and Management Studies

Research at Portsmouth was rated as 35 per cent internationally excellent or world-leading, and 70 per cent internationally recognised or above. Funding increased by over 70 per cent. The research is based in the Business School, incorporating work in economics, accounting and law, and included contributions from the Department of Mathematics, the School of Computing and the Institute of Criminal Justice Studies. Portsmouth is the highest ranked south coast university and top new university in this subject area.

Geography and Environmental Studies

Research based in the Department of Geography was rated 85 per cent internationally recognised or above. More than 33 per cent of research outputs were rated internationally excellent or world-leading. Research areas include geography of health, environmental processes, environment-society interactions and contemporary and historical GIS and cartography.

Computer Science and Informatics

Portsmouth's research was rated 25 per cent internationally excellent or world-leading and 65 per cent internationally recognised or above. Research is based in the School of Computing, the Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering and the School of Creative Technologies, and includes artificial intelligence, parallel and distributed systems, and healthcare modeling and informatics.

Psychology

Research based in the Department of Psychology was rated 80 per cent internationally recognised or above, with 31 per cent of the research outputs rated internationally excellent or world-leading. Research in each of the three research centres was assessed as internationally excellent, with special mention of research in primatology, forensic psychology and visual attention.

Art and Design

Portsmouth's research was rated 55 per cent internationally recognised or above. Research is based in the School of Art, Design and Media, the School of Creative Technologies and the School of Architecture. This research includes designed environments, art practice, digital media, and art and design critical and cultural contexts.