This report presents the findings of a survey on the research activity, experience and needs of staff working in the field of education in Wales. Since democratic devolution in 1999, the Welsh Government has developed an ambitious and distinctive reform agenda, which needs to be underpinned by a strong evidence base and the capacity to undertake rigorous evaluations into the success (or otherwise) of the successive policies that have been implemented. However, while the need for research on education in Wales has increased, it has not been matched by a growing education research community. Indeed, there have been ongoing concerns about a real decline in the volume and quality of educational research being undertaken in Wales – evidenced by successive research assessment exercises.
In order to evaluate the level of research activity that may not be picked up by research assessment exercises, and to provide some insights into why there is such an apparently low level of research activity in Welsh universities, WISERD Education undertook a questionnaire survey of academics working in the field. The survey received over one hundred responses and included academics from each higher education institution in Wales.