PAST REPRESENTATIONS

RAE Declaration (2005)

In continuing its efforts to respond to higher education issues and policies on behalf of the membership, The Association recently made the following comments in relation to the Consultation on RAE 2008 draft criteria and working methods (July 2005).

• ATHE welcomes the opportunity to include pedagogic research under specific UoAs.
• ATHE welcomes the encouragement given to new researchers
• ATHE is disappointed that tourism has not been given the prominence it deserves in the structure of RAE commensurate with its current research size and its significance as an economic and social activity.
• ATHE is pleased to note that “tourism studies” is explicitly included in the descriptor for UoA 46.
• ATHE would urge that tourism specialists are available to provide advice to all panels to which substantive submissions of tourism research are made. ATHE would also urge that such persons have a broad knowledge enabling an understanding of the multidisciplinary nature of the subject
• ATHE would urge that careful consideration is given to the ratings of journals for tourism. In particular it notes that the Business and Management community produce rankings which sometimes include tourism but without a full understanding of the nature of the subject. In particular the relative youth of the subject means that tourism journals can be discriminated against and this can make it difficult for the subject to demonstrate international excellence. The Association would urge that a mechanism is found whereby the tourism academic community is able to provide input into the rating of its journals.
• ATHE would urge that consideration is given to ensuring parity of treatment of tourism research as a whole irrespective of the UoA to which it is submitted.

Professor John Tribe,
Chair, ATHE: Association for Tourism in Higher Education