Research at Kent Law School (KLS) has been ranked second in the UK by the Times Higher Education
The School’s ranking is based on results announced today by the Research Excellence Framework (REF). The REF is the UK’s system for assessing the excellence of research in UK higher education providers (HEPs). KLS came second out of 69 in the Law Unit of Assessment.
KLS performed well in all areas with 87.5% of impact and environment and 46.9% of outputs assessed as world-leading. The results reflect the distinctiveness and diversity of the KLS scholarly community and their commitment to research that is intellectually curious, conceptually ambitious and impactful.
KLS shapes local, national and international social, legal and policy agendas. Impact case studies were submitted in a wide range of areas including housing rights and the regulation of surrogacy in the UK.
Professor Toni Williams, Director of the division for the study of Law, Society and Social Justice, said “KLS is a pioneering law school that has led critical research and education in law for over 50 years. I am delighted that the School’s research has received this recognition from experts in our field. To stand second in the UK for the quality of the School’s research, its impact and its national and international significance is an exceptional achievement. I want to say huge thanks and congratulate all who contributed to it — the staff whose outstanding research was assessed, the professional services and academic staff whose work supported that research and enabled it to happen and the KLS staff and students of the past 55 years whose critical engagement with legal institutions and ideas created and nurtured this great law school. I am immensely grateful everyone who contributed to the School’s success and to the University that has provided the conditions for KLS to thrive.”
Professor Erika Rackley, Deputy Head of School, added “I’m delighted to see the excellence of Kent Law School colleagues’ distinctive critical and impactful research being recognised by the REF results. Kent Law School colleagues’ research is shaping disciplinary and interdisciplinary academic agendas as well as having a demonstrable impact on legal and policy agendas in the context of safe housing, family justice, and reproductive autonomy.”
KLS is widely recognised as a world leader in critical and interdisciplinary scholarship including socio-legal studies, law and humanities, critical legal studies and feminist theory. Find out more on our School webpages.
