| Unit name | Meta-research governance in higher education |
|---|---|
| Unit code | EDUCM0112 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Professor. Derrick |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | School of Education |
| Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
Why is this unit important?
Research shapes the very fabric of higher education—defining priorities, careers, and the production of knowledge itself. Yet, how research is assessed, valued, and governed is not neutral; it reflects broader power structures, policy trends, and institutional imperatives. This unit invites you to interrogate the role of research in universities, equipping you with the critical and analytical tools to navigate an increasingly data-driven academic landscape. You will engage with cutting-edge meta-research, exploring how evidence—from bibliometrics to expert judgment—shapes decisions that impact scholars and institutions worldwide. At the same time, you will question the limits of technocratic governance, metric-driven accountability, and the unintended consequences of research evaluation. By considering alternative models, including mission-driven, quantitative and qualitative approaches, you will develop a nuanced perspective on the future of research assessment. This unit will empower you to not just understand research governance but to influence it, ensuring more responsible, equitable, and meaningful academic practices and new knowledge.
How does this unit fit into your programme?
This unit is a cornerstone of the Higher Education specialism within the Master of Science programme, providing a critical lens on the role of research in universities. It connects with broader themes of policy, governance, and institutional change, equipping students with analytical tools to navigate and shape higher education systems. By integrating data-driven approaches with critical perspectives, the unit complements studies on leadership, equity, and innovation in academia. As higher education becomes increasingly shaped by evaluation frameworks, this unit ensures students can engage with, challenge, and improve research governance, aligning with the programme’s focus on evidence-based, responsible decision-making.
An overview of the content
This unit explores how research is assessed, governed, and valued in higher education. Students will critically engage with meta-research, examining how data-driven approaches—such as bibliometrics, altmetrics, and network analysis—shape institutional decision-making. The unit also interrogates the rise of audit culture, metric-driven accountability, and the broader datafication of academia. Through hands-on analysis and critical debate, you will explore ethical and political dimensions of research evaluation, considering alternative models such as qualitative impact assessment and mission-driven metrics. By the end, you will be equipped to critically assess research governance and apply evidence-informed strategies to higher education policy and practice.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
By the end of this unit, you will be a more critical, reflective, and strategic thinker about the role of research in higher education. You will gain the ability to navigate and challenge dominant research governance models, applying data-driven and qualitative insights with nuance. Equipped with analytical and practical skills, you will be empowered to advocate for responsible, equitable, and meaningful approaches to research evaluation—positioning yourself as informed leader in academic policy, management, and scholarship.
Learning Outcomes
By completing this unit, students will:
The unit will be taught through a combination of lectures and seminars.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
The formative assessment involves a group presentation, where students will apply concepts from class to a real-world research governance issue. This allows for peer feedback and encourages collaborative learning, helping to refine ideas for the summative essay. Progressive verbal feedback during class, from both the unit tutor and peers, will support students in improving their work throughout the unit.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
A 4,000-word essay (100%, ILOs 1-4)
When assessment does not go to plan
When a student fails the unit and is eligible to resubmit, failed components will be reassessed on a like-for-like basis.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. EDUCM0112).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
