SUNDERLAND CELEBRATES DOUBLE SUCCESS!

The University of Sunderland celebrated winning two major accolades within a week, at the end of last year. A national survey Research Assessment Exercise published its 2001 results in late December and found that there have been significant increases in quality, quantity and range of research at Sunderland in the past five years, as well as marked increases in the percentage of students coming to Sunderland from areas where higher education take-up has been traditionally low.

The number of research subjects submitted by the University rose from fourteen in 1996, when the last RAE survey took place, to nineteen in 2001. Rating subjects on a five point scale (1, 2, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 5*), the survey found that three of Sunderland's subject areas - English language and Literature, History and Art & Design - all achieved international recognition with a rating of 4. Nine subjects achieved national excellence, with a rating of 3a and five gained national recognition, with a 3b rating.

University staff were also put forward for the survey and out of the 44% of University staff submitted by the Sunderland, over three-quarters were found to work in subject areas that have achieved research of national excellence standards or higher.

University Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Jeff Browne, who leads research activity, said: "We are very pleased to have significantly enhanced the quality of research across a broader range of subjects, whilst substantially increasing the number of staff working at this level of research quality.

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