Department Professor appointed to expert group on funding for educational research

Professor Jo-Anne Baird, from the Department, has been appointed to an expert group on funding for educational research by the British Educational Research Association (BERA). The group, which is led by David James (Cardiff University and Chair of the REF 2021 panel) and working with the Academy of Social Sciences, will investigate and report on funding trends and their implications for the sector and key funders.

Jo-Anne, who is Director of the Oxford University Centre for Educational Assessment (OUCEA) said: “The Expert Group is convened to extend the work of the BERA The State of the Discipline project, to look specifically at the monies invested in educational research relative to UK expenditure on education. This is the first such BERA Expert Group that I have worked with and I am looking forward to analysing the data from HESA and REF sources.

“It is an important topic that I feel strongly about, as education is seen as crucial to society, yet funding for research is not prioritised by many bodies. We will be seeking to engage with key education funders about the outcomes of the work and, ultimately, to influence the level of funding for education research.”