91% of Lancaster's research has been independently rated as 'internationally excellent' or 'world leading' with 46% rated in the highest category of 4*.
Lancaster is ranked 21 overall out of 157 institutions in Times Higher Education (THE). This also places Lancaster above eight Russell Group universities for research quality.
These results are from the recently-published 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF) which assesses the quality and impact of research submitted by 157 UK universities across all subjects.
The results combine with Lancaster's strengths in teaching and investment in the student experience to reflect our distinctive university community, able to excel in teaching and research.
- 99% of Lancaster's overall research environment was rated 4* 'world leading' or 3* 'internationally excellent' - this includes support and training of research students, research integrity, equality and diversity, as well as facilities available to support research
- 95% of Lancaster's research has 4* 'outstanding' impact or 3* 'very considerable' reach and significance
- 88% of Lancaster's research is rated 4* 'world leading' or 3* 'internationally excellent' for outputs
Some important areas of Lancaster's research are ranked particularly highly:
- Mathematics and Statistics: 100% of research impact rated 'outstanding' and 100% of research impact rated 'world-leading'
- Linguistics: 100 % of research impact rated 'outstanding' and 100 % of research environment rated 'world-leading'
- Lancaster University Management School: 100% of research environment rated 'world-leading' and rated no 1 business school in UK for 'research power'
- Faculty of Health and Medicine: 100% of research environment rated 'world-leading' and 91% of research rated 'world-leading' or 'internationally excellent'
- Educational Research: 100% of research impact rated 'outstanding' and 90% of research rated 'world-leading' or 'internationally excellent'
- Lancaster Environment Centre: ranked 5th in UK for 'research power' with 96% of research rated 'world-leading' or 'internationally excellent' and 83% of research impact rated 'outstanding'
Lancaster's Vice-Chancellor Professor Andy Schofield welcomed the results:
"Lancaster University's REF 2021 results confirm our position as delivering world-quality research at the same time as a best-in-class student experience. We have sustained our excellence in research as we have grown in scale with more than 50% more staff submitted to the research evaluation than in 2014.
"We have doubled our grant capture over that time too. Our excellence is revealed right across the disciplinary mix and enables us to create impact as we bring our research communities together to deliver answers to complex multidisciplinary problems."
About REF 2021
The REF provides a 'census' assessment for the period 2014-2020 of the quality of universities' research in all disciplines, providing accountability for public investment in research.
