Making the most of education research: the ecosystem and the common good

The BERA Expert Panel on Educational Research Funding was established by BERA Council to investigate the situation regarding funding for educational research in the UK. Chaired by David James (Cardiff University and chair of the REF 2021 Education sub-panel), the panel was a continuation of BERA’s Education: The State of the Discipline initiative, which identified funding for educational research as a priority area for BERA to develop work in. The expert panel was commissioned to clarify the changing landscape of funding for educational research and to help BERA to understand the research environment and act to support educational researchers. Making the most of education research: The ecosystem and the common good is the final report of the expert panel and delivers its findings. The report examines how to strengthen the UK’s education research ecosystem for the common good and asks ‘How can we build and sustain forward-looking and generative education research that most stakeholders, most of the time, regard as helpful and important in shaping policy and practice?’ It concludes with a set of recommendations for those in leadership positions in universities, and BERA Council, as well as ‘actionable insights’ for organisations that fund education research, national government departments and regional organisations. While instigated by BERA, the report represents the independent work of the panel and offers a rigorous and timely analysis of the health of education research in the UK.