The right environment

The research environment, or culture, is thought by some to be the most influential forecaster of research productivity. In the seven years since the last REF, the expectation on institutions to not just provide, but indeed nurture the environment, has grown ever stronger. REF 2021 will be a true showcase of the importance of the research environment, and Southampton is poised to deliver.

THE RIGHT ENVIRONMENT

According to the official REF website, “In REF the research environment is assessed in terms of its ‘vitality’ and ‘sustainability’.”

A closer look at the REF guidelines indicates a strong focus on research income, research degrees awarded, equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI), facilities and equipment, structures to support impact, collaborations and interdisciplinarity, open access and research data management, and contribution to the research base, economy and society.

The importance of the environment statements for each individual Unit of Assessment (UOA), and for the University as a whole, is that the research being undertaken, the impact of the research and the environment within which it is conducted are not mutually exclusive – very much the opposite.

Peter Staniczenko, Head of Research Performance at the University, explained: “There has never been such a focus on research environments as there is now, which is a really positive step forward for academic institutions across the UK. Exploring the research environment and understanding the strategies and resources in place to support research and enable impact is a vital exercise, not just for the REF, but for the benefit of the institution and its research and enterprise activities.”

“ Diversity and inclusion are vital to the quality of the research we conduct, and equality is a key requirement to ensure that we achieve inclusion and maintain collegiality within the University.” Professor Mark Spearing Executive Champion for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Parts versus the whole The University of Southampton REF 2021 submission included an institutional-level environment statement in addition to the statement submitted for each of the 25 UOAs. The institutional statement is not separately scored but holds considerable weight as it contributes to the assessment of each UOA’s statement.

“Each research discipline has very different requirements, be that equipment and facilities, resources or ways of working,” explained Peter. “The individual UOA statements provide an opportunity to showcase the unique environments we provide for all types of research and researcher at Southampton. Whether it’s the importance of sabbaticals for those working in arts and humanities, or the promotion of Women in Science, Engineering and Technology, we are able to articulate and demonstrate the nuances of each discipline’s research and how we as an institution provide an environment in which it can thrive.”

The UOA statements begin by setting the scene, describing the number of staff and organisational structure before presenting achievements since the last REF. Research and impact strategies, interdisciplinarity, research integrity and open research complete the first section. Section two is about people, including staffing strategy and staff development, research students and EDI. Income, infrastructure and facilities are covered in the third section, and finally collaboration and contribution to the research base, economy and society in section four.

The bigger picture The institutional environment statement sets the scene for all UOAs. It is an opportunity for us as a University to shine a light on the multitude of projects, programmes and initiatives across the organisation that cultivate our positive research environment here at Southampton.

Peter said: “The UOA environment statements provide an insight for all colleagues and stakeholders into how University policies are implemented at ground level. The environment statement for Southampton as a whole outlines those policies and ongoing supporting activities from professional services.”

By no means a small undertaking, the 5,500- word institutional environment statement for Southampton is duty-bound to explain and illustrate four key areas, which are:

• Context and mission including an overview of the size, structure and mission of the institution.

• Strategy for research and enabling impact in the assessment period and for the next five years.

• People including staffing strategy, support and training of research students, and evidence about how equality and diversity in research careers is supported and promoted across the institution.

• Income, infrastructure and facilities which includes the institution-level resources and facilities available to support research, and the mechanisms for supporting the reproducibility of research and to facilitate its impact.

Equality, diversity and inclusion “A key element in both the institutional and individual UOA statements is that of equality, diversity and inclusion,” explained Peter. “Equality is about fairness and apportioning equal value and equal worth to all. Diversity is recognising, respecting and celebrating each other’s differences. Inclusion means creating an environment where everyone feels welcome and valued.

“EDI has always been an important aspect of research assessment exercises, but the funding bodies’ commitment to supporting and promoting EDI in research careers, and strongly encouraging transparency and fairness in decisions made by institutions, is particularly evident in REF 2021.”

Professor Mark Spearing, the University’s Executive Champion for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, explained: “Diversity and inclusion are vital to the quality of the research we conduct, and equality is a key requirement to ensure that we achieve inclusion and maintain collegiality within the University.

“There is an abundance of evidence to show that more diverse organisations and teams are significantly more creative than those that lack diversity. Research is at its heart a very creative endeavour, so it is vital that we actively promote and value diversity within research teams and across the University and ensure that everyone is included so that their expertise can contribute fully to our research excellence.

“The need to actively seek diversity and consciously promote inclusion is most acute in interdisciplinary research, where cultural differences between disciplines and different technical languages can prove barriers to effective collaborations.”

The University of Southampton’s institutional-level research environment statement showcased the following achievements and initiatives:

• Our sector-leading ‘Reward’ framework, particularly flexibility in job, families and career pathways.

• Governance structure and strategy for EDI, which aims to embed EDI holistically in all our activities.

• Signed two pledges: Time to Change, a national campaign to end mental health discrimination, and the Mindful Employer Charter to create a supportive and open culture for employees with mental health issues.

• The University is a founding signatory of the Athena Swan charter and received a Silver award in October 2016 following 10 years’ work at Bronze level.

• In addition, nine Schools and Faculties have obtained Silver and Bronze departmental awards, recognising their work to implement University policies and broaden awareness of gender equality in their local area.

• We are a member of Inclusive Employers, which supports building inclusive workplaces, and a partner of AccessAble (formerly DisabledGo) to promote disability-accessible buildings. In December 2017 we became the first UK university to achieve Disability Confident Leader status, the highest level accreditation for employers committed to ensuring recruitment processes are inclusive and accessible; this was reaccredited in 2020.

• In January 2018 the University signed the Race Equality Charter to improve the representation, progression and success of minority ethnic groups of staff and students.

• Staff and students maintain networks and societies to represent, support and engage members who share a similar background, characteristic or common cause, for example:

— Black Asian and Minority Ethnic Staff Network

— Christian, Islamic and Jewish student societies — Disability Staff Network — International societies — Parents’ and Carers’ Network — Pulse LGBT+ Staff Network — Student Union Feminist Society — Theano — Women in Science, Engineering, Technology and Humanities (WiSET+)

• We have been a Stonewall Diversity Champion since 2010.

Post-REF 2021 “My conclusion from reading the REF environment statements is that we are strong at interdisciplinary research and have made real progress in EDI,” said Mark. “With such a tremendous amount of work going into the statements across the University, we really are in a very solid position in terms of celebrating and asserting our strengths and identifying areas for development.

“Each environment statement provides a rich narrative of how a particular discipline supports its researchers and postgraduate research students. They are essential reading for anyone wishing to discover what makes Southampton unique and such a great place to develop careers.”

For further information, visit: www.ref.ac.uk