Research Benchmarks

Compare and Compete.

What is it?

Universities and HEIs have an increasing need to benchmark their performance against their peers. Research Benchmarks is our data comparison platform, which allows institutions to do this across the widest range of competitive data sets available.

Adopted by many UK institutions, Research Benchmarks is used by:
• Deans of departments, schools and faculties
• Pro-Vice Chancellors
• Research Directors
• Research funding bodies
• Government bodies
• Agencies
• Research committees and organisations

Using a unique combination of RAE, HESA and Grants data, we have developed a tool which integrates all this information and can quickly return highly relevant and useful comparative data sets  for your institution, to help you make sound strategic decisions.

Benefits

• Inform the development of your institutional strategy
• Benchmark your performance using comparison data
• Save time with pre-classified and standardized data
• Identify new trends early and gain an advantage
• Build agreement on institutional objectives with widely acceptable performance indicators
• Communicate effectively with colleagues with built-in charting tools
• Monitor and analyse trends in grant awards
• Cross-check and validate data in your own internal systems

Features

• Quick and easy to use interface
• Custom charts and graphs
• Pre-defined and customizable comparison sets
• Key indicator and trend reports
• Data combining tools
• Export to Excel for further analysis

How do I get it?

Research Benchmarks is available as part of an online site license only. It can be made available to everyone at your institution.

Currently, it is in the form of a downloadable application that users can install on their computer (either PC or Mac). Updates with new data, tables and charts will be provided periodically, and you will be able to retain all of your personal preferences.

For more information, please click on the links below or contact us:

T: +44(0)20 7216 6500
E: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

“We found the benchmarking service extremely useful... It saved us a great deal of work and prompted thinking around the critical areas. The accuracy of your predictions was much appreciated.”
Dr Elizabeth Robertson, Dean, Graduate Research School, University of Teesside

User Support

For users at institutions subscribing to Research Benchmarks:

Download the latest version
Download the Quick Start Guide (PDF)
Read the FAQ

View Blipcasts from William Cullerne Bown, the founder of Research Fortnight, online:

• Introduction to the July 2009 v1.14 release (MOV 89MB, 20 minutes)
• Compare your institution with others (MOV 6MB, 2 minutes)
• Save a Comparator Set (MOV 1MB, 30 seconds)

Order Briefings:

Briefing 1, 30 December 2008 - “The Future of Mainstream QR in England’s Universities”

Briefing 2, 30 January 2009 - “Approaching a New Settlement for Mainstream QR in England” along with Excel data.

Briefings (and help generally) can be obtained by emailing This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it