RESEARCH at the Institute of Education is among the best in the UK, according to a major national review of university research quality.
The 2008 Research Exercise places MMU 7th* out of 81 research centres competing with the likes of Oxford, Cambridge and Warwick and above Manchester University.
Overall 55% of research was deemed ‘of international excellence’ with a fifth absolutely outstanding, categorised as ‘world leading’.
Professor Harry Torrance, Director of the Education and Social Research Institute (ESRI), which has attracted £8 million in research grants, said: “We are delighted to have been recognised as a world leader. This result will help us maximise our objectives of attracting top research students and external funding, especially grants from the Economic and Social Research Council.”
ESRI is an innovative group of researchers, based at the University’s Institute of Education. It has conducted key UK studies in areas such as standards in schools, the professionalism of teachers and IT in the classroom and is world leading in research methodology.
Professor Torrance says: “We are strongly committed to maintaining the quality, vitality and social usefulness of educational and social research, and to preparing the next generation of researchers.”
The group have been successful in attracting support for studies from major charities, government departments, local and regional authorities, and companies such as Barclays, Microsoft and Siemens/Lego. They also have strong links with national policy, for example, making a significant contribution to the government’s Every Child Matters agenda.
For more about education research and ESRI, go to http://www.esri.mmu.ac.uk
* See the Times Higher Education RAE league table 2008