# Research Excellence Framework

**Source**: https://www.sussex.ac.uk/research/ref
**Parent**: https://www.sussex.ac.uk/study/masters

The Research Excellence Framework (REF) assesses the quality of research in UK higher education institutions. Read our full REF 2021 results, learn the basics and discover our stories.

[##### Our REF results

View all the results of our submissions for REF 2021.](https://www.sussex.ac.uk/research/ref/results)

[##### The REF explained

Understand why the Research Excellence Framework is important.](https://www.sussex.ac.uk/research/ref/explained)

[##### Research stories

Discover the stories behind our REF 2021 submissions.](https://www.sussex.ac.uk/research/ref/discover)

### REF news

For REF 2021, 89% of the research we submitted was categorised ‘world-leading’ (40.6%) or ‘internationally excellent’ (48.4%).

Also, 93% of our research impact was assessed to be ‘outstanding’ or ‘very considerable’ – up from 80.7% in 2014.

Read the official Sussex announcements relating to REF 2021, including:

- [our University press release](https://www.sussex.ac.uk/news/research?id=58013)
- [a message from the Vice-Chancellor](https://staff.sussex.ac.uk/news/article/58016-an-update-from-the-vice-chancellor)
- [an update for Sussex students](https://student.sussex.ac.uk/news/article/58017-update-for-students-ref-results-and-why-they-matter-to-you).

[Check all University research news](https://www.sussex.ac.uk/news/research).

## Research by School

- [Education](https://www.sussex.ac.uk/education/research) and [Social Work](https://www.sussex.ac.uk/socialwork/research)
- [Engineering](https://www.sussex.ac.uk/engineering/research) and [Informatics](https://www.sussex.ac.uk/informatics/research)
- [Global Studies](https://www.sussex.ac.uk/global/research)
- [Law, Politics and Sociology](https://www.sussex.ac.uk/lps/research)
- [Life Sciences](https://www.sussex.ac.uk/lifesci/research)

- [Media, Arts and Humanities](https://www.sussex.ac.uk/schools/media-arts-humanities/research)
- [Mathematical](https://www.sussex.ac.uk/maths/research) and [Physical](https://www.sussex.ac.uk/physics/research) Sciences
- [Psychology](https://www.sussex.ac.uk/schools/psychology/research)
- [University of Sussex Business School](https://www.sussex.ac.uk/business-school/research)
- [Brighton and Sussex Medical School](https://www.bsms.ac.uk/research/index.aspx)

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## You might also be interested in:

- [exploring our research](https://www.sussex.ac.uk/research/explore-our-research)
- [more about our research environment](https://www.sussex.ac.uk/research/about)
- [our research programmes, centres and groups](https://www.sussex.ac.uk/research/centres/).