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The role of selectivity and the characteristics of excellence with regard to the creation of research outputs and research training.

Terms of Reference

To consider the role of selective funding, and the appropriate degree of selectivity required to support existing and developing excellence.

In considering these issues the group will wish to address the following questions:

What has been the effect of the selective allocation of funding by HEFCE and its predecessors?

  • What are the different bases on which selectivity has been applied in the UK?

  • What has selectivity meant for the research base as a whole and for individual institutions?

  • How has the operation and outcome of selectivity differed from the concentration of research funding?

  • How have institutions managed selectivity, in particular to what extent has collaboration enabled the management of selectivity?

What is the desired outcome of selectivity and is the current approach delivering it?

  • Can, and should, the "right" balance between support of established disciplines and centres of excellence and support of emerging subjects and new centres be defined?

  • Does the current approach to selectivity deliver the right balance between disciplines?

  • Does the current approach to selectivity deliver the right balance between institutions?

  • Does the current approach to selectivity deliver the right balance between support of established and emerging excellence?

  • Does the current approach to selectivity deliver the right balance between "blue skies" research and research relevant to the needs of users?

How does our selective approach to funding compare with that in other countries?

  • How is selectivity determined in other countries?

  • Is the UK more or less selective than comparator countries?

  • Is selectivity linked to the relative performance of the research base?

What is the most appropriate basis for selectivity to meet the future needs of the research base and the stakeholders in it?

  • How should we be selective, should it continue to be on the basis of quality and if so, quality judged by whom?

  • Should we adopt a different approach to selectivity for different types of research?

  • How does selectivity fit with the policies of other funders and other policies of the Funding Council?

How selective should HEFCE be to meet the future needs of the research base and stakeholders?

  • What criteria should determine the threshold for HEFCE funding?

  • How should funding vary with performance?

  • Should selectivity differ by discipline or by type of institution?

  • Should all institutions be able to compete equally for HEFCE Qr funding?

What is critical mass?

  • What infrastructure is needed to support critical mass?

  • Must critical mass be in a single place, or can it be distributed?

  • What is the role of national research facilities in the generation or maintenance of critical mass?

How can selectivity facilitate the development of centres of excellence?

  • What constitutes a "centre of excellence"?

  • Does a policy of selectivity enhance the development of centres of excellence?

  • What is the most appropriate balance between support of established centres of excellence and disciplines and emerging centres of excellence and disciplines?

  • Can excellence be defined only in terms of research activity or must it also include research training and/or work with industry and the community?

How can selectivity best support excellence in research training as distinct from excellence in research activity?

Content: Andrew Fisher
Last updated 07 April 2000