REF2014: World-leading research in Electronics and Computer Science

The University of Southampton has come out top in the UK for Electrical and Electronic Engineering in the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF) results. The REF also shows 100 per cent of the impact of our Computer Science research activity is world-leading or internationally excellent.

The 2014 REF assesses the quality and impact of research submitted by UK universities. The results will be used by higher education funding bodies in the UK to allocate almost £2 billion of research funding per year from 2015-16.

Results from the REF 2014 have confirmed the volume and quality of our research in Electrical and Electronic Engineering as being the best in the UK with 97 per cent of our research outputs rated as world-leading or internationally excellent.

Additionally, the volume and quality of our Computer Science research is in the top 10 in the UK with 100 per cent of its impact being recognised as world-leading or internationally excellent.

Professor Neil White, Head of Electronics and Computer Science (ECS) at the University of Southampton, said “This is an excellent achievement and a superb recognition of our commitment to research work that is world-leading and transformative. Our staff, industry partners and research funders can take pride in these outstanding results and our students can be assured of the research-led education they take part in.”

Read about the impact of ECS’ research on web science, energy, agent technologies, open data and more in our case studies.

Cutting edge research into engineering at the University of Southampton is further recognised with General Engineering also being ranked as first in the UK by the 2014 REF.

Overall, Southampton is ranked 11th in the UK based on the volume and quality of its research. Over 97 per cent of the University’s research environment has been assessed as world-leading and internationally excellent. Nearly 90 per cent of its research has been assessed as having world-leading and internationally excellent impact.

The University’s full REF results are available at: www.ref.ac.uk.