Environment submissions database

Many of the University’s REF preparations over the last year hinged on activities and interactions scheduled to take place in the final Census-period months following March 2020. While contingencies have been put in place in terms of funding support, rescheduling, moves online, and postponement, some research activity and several planned components of the submission have been disrupted by the Coronavirus pandemic. For the University, staff and research student health and safety has been our greatest concern during the pandemic. Nonetheless, illnesses have unfortunately on occasion resulted in a range of research-related challenges, such as the inability to take up offered research grants and the inclusion of delays in the conduct of research student training and monitoring between PGRs and supervisors. In terms of our REF preparations, Impact Case Studies have been particularly affected by the difficulties of staging events and liaising with partners. Events have had to be moved online and sometimes cancelled, corroborating statements have been harder to gather, and evidence-gathering has been impeded. The imposition of the COVID lockdowns has also raised significant challenges for our researchers and postgraduate research students during the 2019-20 and 2020-21 academic years, particularly for those undertaking data collection, archival research, and field work. This has led to an increase in requests for deferral and Interruption of Studies from research students, for example. The REF submission has itself been inhibited by the reduced capacity and ability to work on campus with colleagues as well as gain access to key resources. Crucially, and in a small institution like Newman University especially, many staff have been diverted from research activities since March 2020 to undertake further teaching and learning support duties as the University has moved much of its provision online. This has impacted both the research itself and colleagues’ ability always to collaborate most effectively in formulating and writing REF 2021 documentation.