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RESEARCH NEWS

Demonstrating the

strength and breadth

of research with the

2021 REF results

The RVC has demonstrated its breadth and depth of
research excellence, celebrating 88% of research being
rated as world-leading (4*) or internationally excellent (3*),
according to the 2021 Research Excellence Framework
(REF) results.

The results highlight the increasing relevance of the RVC’s
research to society, with 83% of RVC’s impact being scored
4*, and 7.5 of the 9 impact case studies submitted found to
have “outstanding reach and significance”.

Additional highlights from the results include:
• A 54% increase in the number of full time equivalent advance clinical practice; protect public health by enhancing
academic staff submitted since the last assessment food safety; inform World Health Organisation and the Food
– establishing the RVC as the largest veterinary and Agriculture Organisation policy on the control of disease
research institution in the country
afflicting some of poorest people in the world; and tackle
• An increase in the proportion of our research scored antimicrobial resistance through innovations in drug delivery.
as world-leading and internationally excellent in Many of these are underpinned by the RVC’s One Health
all categories of REF 2021, compared with 2014 approach to research, the importance of which has been
results, including 17% improvement on the impact of highlighted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
its research, an 11% rise in its research output and The results also highlight the RVC’s holistic and
an 11% increase in overall performance.
transdisciplinary approach to research, with researchers,
The impact case studies submitted by the RVC covered teachers, clinicians and pathologists working collaboratively to
a broad range of research areas, including those which ensure ‘real world’ impact and advances in clinical practice.

RVC retains Leader in Openness status

he Concordat on Openness three year award, we were required to
on Animal Research in the reapply this year and submit evidence
UK, is a voluntary code of to show how our communication
Tpractice that commits signatory activities are still sector leading
organisations to enhance their animal in 2022. As part of this we publish
research communications. Leaders in information on our website in relation
Openness are Concordat signatories to case studies; summarised versions
who commit considerable resource of our AWERB minutes; non technical
and energy to following best practice, summaries from current project licences
embedding openness within their as well as facts and figures in relation to
organisations and making the aims animals used at the RVC. Our application
of the Concordat a reality. was assessed by members of the public
and we were delighted to hear that we
The RVC was originally granted Leader have retained our Leader in Openness
in Openness status in 2019. As it is a
status for another three years.

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