RQF ignores student contribution

The Final Advice on the Research Quality Framework released today has addressed some major areas of concern. These include the assessment of cross-disciplinary research, and the research output of early career researchers.

CAPA particularly welcomes the recommendations for additional funding for the RQF implementation and for significant increases in research block funding. However, one glaring omission from the recommendations is an evaluation of the contribution of Higher Degree by Research (HDR) students.

Postgraduate researchers conduct a large proportion of the research effort at Australian universities. Despite sector-wide consensus supporting the inclusion of HDR students in the RQF, the Final Advice rejects their inclusion. The message that DEST and the Minister are giving is that they do not view research by HDR students as legitimate research in its own right. CAPA challenges this view and argues for the recognition of HDR students as an integral part of the current and future university research profile. This contribution cannot be reduced to a simple head count of research students contained in a context statement. The omission of HDR students is particularly concerning as from 2008, at least 50% of the RTS allocation will be based on the RQF outcomes. The Final Advice that a large proportion of research education resources are allocated on the basis of uncorrelated RQF outcomes will do nothing to encourage adequate resource provision for research education.