EDITORIAL
GLOBAL IMPACT AND EXCELLENCE
As the outstanding research profiled in this edition of SOLVE magazine shows , the University of Portsmouth is having a significant and wideranging impact on society , health , culture and the environment . The difference our dedicated researchers are making is felt not just in the UK but around the world .
Our University community was thrilled to see this reaffirmed by the results of the
Research Excellence Framework ( REF ), released in May 2022 . REF measures the value of public investment in research , demonstrates the benefits of this investment and determines how public money will be distributed to fund future University research . Seventy-seven per cent of research submitted by the University of Portsmouth was ranked in the highest categories : world-leading and internationally excellent .
In the Times Higher Education REF rankings , Portsmouth is now ranked third of all modern universities in the UK for research power – a measure of the quality and quantity of research submitted . For research quality alone , Portsmouth was ranked sixth of all UK universities and the top modern university for Physics . We were also ranked as the number one modern university for research quality in both Mathematics and Area Studies , number three for Sports Science and in the top five for Business and Management , Psychology , and Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences .
This demonstrates the real breadth and depth of our research . Examples of recognised world-class research include :
In this issue we look at further advances the University is making in our drive to solve society ’ s challenges and shape new opportunities in the world – from tackling global plastics pollution , to boosting emerging fields such as the space sector and the potential applications for extended reality .
At our new
Centre for Creative and Immersive Extended Reality ( CCIXR ), augmented reality technologies are being used to develop computer-simulated environments . Researchers and students at CCIXR are developing creative approaches to augment live , real-world scenarios for applications such as training and education , R & D testing , medical research and theatre performances .
By investing in research and supporting world-class innovation , the University of Portsmouth is embedding research expertise within the undergraduate and postgraduate curriculum . This ensures that all our students are exposed to world-leading and globally impactful research , taught or supervised by staff who are leaders in their field .
We are proud of our performance in both research and teaching , which shows we are on track to achieve our ambitious vision : to be the top modern UK university and a top 100 young university in the world by 2030 . SOLVE will continue to document our progress and the impact we make far beyond our campus .
Professor Graham Galbraith CBE
VICE-CHANCELLOR UNIVERSITY OF PORTSMOUTH
• groundbreaking discoveries on gravitational waves that have furthered our understanding of how fast the Universe is expanding ;
• research underpinning international and UK water safety policies and campaigns that have saved thousands of lives around the world ;
• research to help end violence against women and girls in South Asia ;
• helping to make electric vehicles safer , cheaper , more efficient and able to last longer between charges ; and
• expertise that led to financial judgements worth $ 658 million made against 11 US banks for stock market fraud .
2 ISSUE 04 / 2022