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Research Centre highlighted as leading UK institute for ecology.

20 October 2011

The Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH) is highlighted as a leading UK institute for ecological research in a new report launched this week by Universities and Science Minister David Willetts.

According to the report, which shows the UK to be a world leader in science and research, CEH staff published 16% of the ecology articles from UK institutions and gathered 18% of UK citations in a five year period from 2006 - 2010. CEH is one of the Natural Environment Research Council's (NERC) research centres.

The 'International Comparative Performance of the UK Research Base 2011' report was compiled by Elsevier and published by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. It shows that UK research attracts more citations per pound spent in overall research and development than any other country. It has also found that the UK research base is highly mobile, internationally competitive and diverse.

Professor Mark Bailey, Director of the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, said, "This report shows the strength of the UK environmental science base, and particularly the world leading research carried at NERC's Centre for Ecology & Hydrology. The UK's scientists create 25% of the ecology articles published worldwide and CEH scientists play a vital role in ensuring that British researchers are at the forefront of international research."

The report indicates that the UK has been consistently in the top position for environmental sciences over the 5 years from 2006 - 2010. It refers to the work of NERC-funded researchers in universities as well as those at CEH, highlighting that the NERC research community has played a significant role in the UK's success as a global leader for science and research.

Speaking at the Royal Society of Medicine yesterday, David Willetts said, "A strong research base is vital to driving growth and innovation. This report highlights both the quality of our researchers and also the ability of our world-class institutions to attract the very best talent to this country. We are committed to maintaining this leading position and building on the UK's fantastic record of academic and scientific achievement. That's exactly why we protected the £4·6b science and research budget and have invested nearly an additional £300m in science capital projects over the past year."

Further information

NERC Press Office
Natural Environment Research Council
Polaris House, North Star Avenue
Swindon, SN2 1EU
Tel: 01793 411561
Mob: 07917 557215

Notes

1. The 'International Comparative Performance of the UK Research Base 2011' report was produced by Elsevier for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

2. The 2011 report on the International Comparative Performance of the UK Research Base is the first of a new biennial enquiry into the international standing of UK research. It is more comprehensive annual review of research performance than previously produced.

3. The evidence gathered under this report evaluates the effectiveness of the Science and Research Budget, currently £4·6b, in achieving high international standards of research performance.

4. The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) is the UK's main agency for funding and managing world-class research, training and knowledge exchange in the environmental sciences. It coordinates some of the world's most exciting research projects, tackling major issues such as climate change, environmental influences on human health, the genetic make-up of life on earth, and much more. NERC receives almost £400m a year from the government's science budget, which it uses to fund independent research and training in universities and its own research centres.

5. The Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH) is the UK's Centre of Excellence for integrated research in the land and freshwater ecosystems and their interaction with the atmosphere. CEH is part of the Natural Environment Research Council, employs more than 450 people at four major sites in England, Scotland and Wales, hosts over 150 PhD students, and has an overall budget of about £35m. CEH tackles complex environmental challenges to deliver practicable solutions so that future generations can benefit from a rich and healthy environment. You can follow the latest developments in CEH research via twitter and our rss news feed

Press release: 26/11

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