The primary purpose of the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) in the UK is to produce ratings of research quality. This study found that there were some issues of lack of clarity and consistency in the assignment of points for research quality among the various disciplines. There were differences in levels of sampling and in how the final grade was constructed. Education is considered in depth to exemplify the impact of the exercise and the issues facing one middleranked department in developing future research strategy. A strong case can be made for abandoning the RAE in favour of a strategy related more closely to the approach to teaching now commended by the White Paper for knowledge transfer universities.
There is currently an unmet need in higher education for a structured, preemptive programme of support to help students enhance their resilience to stress. This article presents a mixed-methods evaluation of a transferable biopsychosocial resilience intervention for studentsthe Resilience Enhancement Programme for Students (REP-S). In Study 1, a randomised control trial showed that participating in the intervention was associated with significantly decreased perceived stress, decreased trait neuroticism and enhanced self-esteem over a period of one month. In Study 2, written and focus-group qualitative data from students provided evidence that the intervention led to perceived positive changes, including sleeping better, dealing more effectively with assessments and managing interpersonal challenges. Future steps in the evaluation of the REP-S are discussed.
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