Research Assessment Exercise 2008

The Pure Mathematics section is pleased that the results of the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise confirm the excellence of its research.

All staff were entered in our submission. In the quality profiles awarded, 57% of our research outputs (meaning articles in learned journals) were judged to be internationally excellent, of which 13.5% was considered world leading (rated 4*); 95% of our esteem indicators (meaning such things as journal editorships, organisation of international conferences and prizes) were considered to be internationally recognised, of which about half (45%) was judged internationally excellent. Overall the Exercise classified 85% of our research activity in Pure Mathematics as (at least) internationally recognised. These figures demonstrate the high quality and growing strength of the group.

Excellence of the research activity and research environment of Statistics at Lancaster was also confirmed.

The Statistics sections together form the fifth-largest centre for research in statistics and operations research in the UK. The exercise considered about half (52%) of our research outputs to be internationally excellent, of which 16% world leading; 70% of our esteem indicators were considered to be internationally excellent, including 25% judged to be world leading, with almost all (97%) internationally recognised; 90% of the research environment was judged to be internationally excellent, including 14% world leading - particular strength in strategic vision and collaborative and interdisciplinary research was highlighted. Overall the Exercise found 60% of our research activity in Statistics to be internationally excellent, including 15% judged as world leading; almost all (95%) was classified as internationally recognised.

Together with our outstanding reputation for teaching, these figures underline the excellent quality of Mathematics and Statistics at Lancaster University.