EIT Performs Strongly In National Quality Evaluation For Research

Since EIT‘s first participation in the national quality evaluation of research, EIT’s research capability and activity has grown substantially. This breadth and depth of research is well reflected in the latest review of the performance-based research fund (PBRF) released last week. The purpose of the fund is to ensure that outstanding research in the tertiary education sector is stimulated and financed. This means assessing the individual research performance of members of staff employed within tertiary education organisations (TEOs) and then funding the organisation on the basis of their research output and excellence over the past six years. This year, 14 of the 16 Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics (ITP) participated, making it a particularly competitive evaluation. 39 EIT researchers were awarded a national ranking for their research excellence by the fund. This is an increase of 22 percent compared to the last evaluation in 2012. Among the ITPs, EIT ranked second for the number of active researchers relative to number of students enrolled in courses at degree level and higher. In addition, EIT ranked third for the number and quality of active researchers involved in teaching and research. EIT Executive Dean for Research, Professor Natalie Waran highlights that the individual research portfolios were of higher quality than previously, with double the number of EIT researchers achieving a “B” category compared to 2012. Compared to the other ITPs who were rated through PBRF, EIT had the highest proportion of “A”-graded researchers, indicating that the work of these researchers is considered to be world leading. “We are particularly pleased with the breadth of discipline areas that our researchers’ portfolios covered, which is wider than when we were last rated. These, included health, engineering technology and architecture, clinical medicine, business, education and Māori knowledge and development,” notes Professor Waran. “EIT did particularly well in the area of creative practice , with our researchers from Toihoukura, the Māori Visual Arts School in Tairāwhiti, and IDEAschool in Hawkes Bay gaining great results.“ Whilst the quality evaluation of research is an important exercise for universities who gain more than 95 percent of this significant funding to encourage and support research within the sector, it is heartening to see EIT’s improved performance, and to demonstrate the strength of research expertise under-pinning the delivery of our postgraduate degrees in the key areas of Health Science and Nursing, Creative Practice, Education and Business.“ Photo: Executive Dean for Research, Professor Natalie Waran highlights EIT’s strong research performance.  Posted: 13 June 2019