9th in the UK for research impact
12 May 2022
Cardiff University’s School of Modern Languages has been placed 9th in the UK for research impact in the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF).
The REF is a process of expert review which takes place every six years to assess and demonstrate the value and impact of research carried out at higher education institutions across the UK. This year 157 universities took part in the assessment which involved 76,132 academic staff and 6,781 submitted impact case studies.
In the latest framework, over 80% of research submitted to the Modern Languages and Linguistics Unit of Assessment was deemed world-leading or internationally excellent. This brings together work carried out by colleagues from the School of Modern Languages and the School of Welsh, who share a distinctive interest in interdisciplinary and transnational approaches to literary and visual cultures, translation, heritage and sociolinguistics.
Impact case studies from across the schools cover topics as diverse as the Paris Exodus in the Second World War, a mentoring scheme to encourage young people to learn languages, analysis of Language Commissioners in Ireland and Wales, and research which influenced Welsh language policy and led to the development of new learning and studying tools in Wales.
Both schools foster an inclusive, diverse and collaborative research community. Reflective of this, 100% of eligible staff were submitted to this Unit of Assessment, placing 11th in the UK for research environment.
The influential combination of humanities and social science scholarship, with a strong focus on impactful and policy-relevant research, secured an overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.30.
Professor David Clarke, Head of the School of Modern Languages said, “I’m delighted with this strong result for the School of Modern Languages. Our researchers can be proud of this achievement. It shows not only the international quality of our research, but also the important impact it has beyond the university. I look forward to working with colleagues to build on these strengths in the years to come.”
Find out about Cardiff University’s overall results and the school’s results within its unit of assessment – Modern Languages and Linguistics
