Bangor University Recognised For World-Leading Research

Bangor University’s research has a major impact around the world according to a national assessment of research quality (REF) published today. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The 2014 Research Excellence Framework recognised that more than three-quarters of Bangor’s research is either world-leading or internationally excellent. Based on the University submission of 14 Units of Assessment, 77% of the research was rated in the top two tiers of research quality, ahead of the average for all UK universities. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Research in the schools of Sports Science; Modern Languages; Welsh; Education; Linguistics; Social Sciences; Ocean Sciences; Biological Sciences; Environment, Natural Resources and Geography; Psychology; Healthcare Sciences and Medical Sciences have all been ranked in the top 20 in the UK. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Bangor University’s reputation as a world leading research university is further emphasised by: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Bangor being ranked 39th in the UK (excluding specialist institutions and single-submission universities).
Eight of our 14 submissions achieved a GPA score (which is a measure of research quality) in excess of 3.0 out of a maximum score of 4.0. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Professor David Shepherd, Deputy Vice-Chancellor responsible for research said: “This is an excellent performance by Bangor, and I am particularly pleased with the major impact that our research is having around the world. From the major contribution we make to improving healthcare and wellbeing, bilingualism, and protecting the environment, it is clear that the research carried out by Bangor academics is having a major economic impact as well as on the lives of people around the world. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I am also pleased that we have doubled the amount of 4* research that we carried out since the last analysis was conducted.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Vice-Chancellor Professor John G. Hughes said: “This exceptional performance in terms of research comes only a few months after our outstanding results in the National Student Survey which placed Bangor University top in Wales and seventh in the UK for student satisfaction. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The world leading research carried out at Bangor University, together with our high student satisfaction and the new major building projects that we have underway makes this university a unique and very attractive place to study and work. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I would like to thank all the staff who have been involved in this process and we can all be very proud of the high quality research carried out at Bangor University.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​