The Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) was an independent assessment of the quality of research in UK higher education institutions conducted for the funding bodies.

Grading university departments from 1 to 5*, it was the basis on which research funding of around £1 billion per year was allocated. The results also helped to guide investment decisions by industry, charities and other organisations that sponsor research, and gave potential students and staff an insight into the quality of UK universities.

Fifteen departments at Bristol University achieved the top grade of 5* in the rigorous 2001 RAE. The grade is only awarded to world-class departments that set the global research agenda in their fields. A further 21 Bristol University departments were awarded grade 5, which signifies international excellence.

Across the sciences, the quality of research at Bristol emerged as among the very highest in the UK.

The number of Bristol University departments in the top two grades rose to 36 from the 20 achieved in the last RAE in 1996. Seventy-eight per cent of the University's departments were judged as world class or internationally excellent, and 76 per cent of all the academic staff work in departments ranked at these levels.

• University of Bristol grades by Unit of Assessment (PDF, 22kB)
• Benchmark report of the 2001 RAE