Overview

• Who are we?

• Research excellence

• Teaching excellence (NSS)

• Teaching efficiency - Apprenticeship

Who are we?

• In 1946, we were the first to offer a non-vocational Sports degree in the UK. In 1985 the current School was founded with an emphasis on science

• Sport and Exercise Sciences often misunderstood – it is more than just the sum of the different disciplines

• Multidisciplinary

• With 100% of our staff entered 60% of our staff was either 4* or 3*

• Largest proportion of early career staff entered (all with 4 pubs)

• World class facility

5 areas

3 themes

Strength

• Multidisciplinary (many disciplines housed in one building interacting with each other)

• Efficiency of teaching

• Quality of teaching

• Quality of research

• Sport and Exercise Sciences are the topic of the future (not just “trendy” at the moment)

High student satisfaction

High income/cost ratio

High cost:income ratio even when comparisons are made within an already well performing college

Income and cost per member of staff Income :staff ratio

Weaknesses

• Grant income in previous RAE relatively low

• Relatively small number of staff with grants

• Relatively small number of formal international collaborations

Grant income

Grant income

So far (4 months)

Wide variety of funding sources

RAE Success - PostGrad community

• 24 School funded studentships (previously 42)

• Rigorous recruitment process

• Vibrant and energetic group

• Contribute to quality of research and teaching

• 45% of output returned to RAE PG 1st author

• 4 Publications (SCI/SSCI journals) per student in the discipline areas

• Many students have won awards (since 2002, 2 x ACSM, 6 x ECSS, 5 x Ratcliffe Prize best PG in science)

• High completion rate

Apprenticeship scheme

• Voluntary supervision of 3rd year undergraduate projects

• 1PG-staff team – 2-4 UGs

• PG provides training in methods and skills

• UG become research competent and make substantial contribution to experimental work that is part of the PhD thesis

• Appreciated by both parties; high PG research output and high NSS scores

Cost of School funded PG’s 08/09

• Salary £ 8250 per annum.

• Tuition home fee: £ 3300 pa.

• On successful completion HEFCE returns £ 5000 pa.

• Net cost: £ 6650 pa.

International Collaborations

• University of Melbourne

• University of Victoria

• University of Chicago – Sociobiology of Ageing

• India – Governmental Research Institutes Obesity and Ageing

• Middle East – Diabetes/Obesity Research Institutes in the Gulf

• Australian Institute of Sport, Canberra

• University of California at Davis

• University of Valencia

• University of Barcelona

• Maastricht University

• Ohio State University

Centre for Obesity Research

• Central role in the Centre for Obesity Research– Mechanisms of Disease : Dr Jeremy Tomlinson

– Exercise and Nutrition: Prof Asker Jeukendrup

– Childhood Obesity: Prof Tim Barrett

– Motivating Health Lifestyle : Prof Joan Duda

– Obesity in the Community : Dr Neil Thomas

Exercise related work on campus

Institute of Sport, Exercise and Movement

Colleges join forces to form a leading institute of sport, exercise and movement and become the leading Sports University

Student / staff development

Student intake Academic staff

Student: staff ratio

Challenges

• Generating additional income– Research grants

– More staff submitting and being awarded research grants

• Student/staff ratio

• Retaining School funded PhD studentships

• Maintaining teaching quality with increasing staff workload

Threats

• Not being able to retain 3* and 4* colleagues

• Non replacement of staff and even worsening SSR

• REF panel allocation and procedures – recognition of sports and exercise sciences as a discipline

Discussion points

• Student/staff ratio

• Retaining School funded PhD studentships

• Maintaining teaching quality with increasing staff workload

• REF panel allocation and procedures – recognition of sports and exercise sciences as a discipline

• Not being able to retain 3* and 4* colleagues

• Non replacement of staff and even worsening SSR