Research impact

We use our research expertise and pioneering spirit to discover, develop and create innovative solutions to the world's biggest problems and transform lives.

Research impact showcase

The University has launched a showcase of the ways we are solving the world's most urgent problems.

Explore selected case studies from our research collection and learn about the global impact of our work.

Research Excellence Framework 2021

The Research Excellence Framework (REF) is the system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions. The University’s success in the Research Excellence Framework (REF) acknowledges the quality and scale of our research and impact.

Details for the Faculty are included within the information about The University of Manchester's results in the 2021 REF. These are available on the University’s REF pages.

Success across the Faculty

As a Faculty, we entered more than 700 eligible researchers across 5 subject areas. Our submission comprised 1,660 outputs, 43 impact cases studies and 5 environment statements.

REF 2021 reflects the Faculty’s improvements in research quality and strength across all our Units of Assessment since the last assessment in 2014.

We are particularly proud of our performance within the Allied Health Professions, Dentistry, Nursing and Pharmacy, which was ranked second overall nationally (Grade Point Average/GPA); and Biological Sciences which ranked fifth nationally (GPA).

Working together

Each Unit of Assessment contained important contributions from all three of our Schools – showing true collaborative working to achieve great results.

The University of Manchester is a great place to pursue trans-disciplinary research across the life sciences, medicine and health.

Making a difference

Our environment statements and impact case studies tended to score very positively – testament to the quality of our broad campus, our infrastructure and our ability to put our research to good use and make a valuable difference in the world around us.

Explore selected case studies highlighting the difference our research makes in the University’s research impact showcase.

We will share more research stories from the Faculty in the coming weeks and months, celebrating them and the real-life difference our work has made on fundamental discovery, health, the economy, society, culture, public policy – and on quality of life both locally and globally.