Section 1
Discipline Growth
This sub-section presents analyses of the changes in output volume over time at the two- and four-digit discipline levels for ERA 2015.
Two-digit discipline growth
The total volume of outputs (i.e. all output types excluding portfolios which do not report by year in the submitted data) for each year of the ERA 2015 reference period increased from 63,400 in 2008 to 81,740 in 2013, which represented a 29 per cent growth on 2008 levels. On a discipline basis, all two-digit disciplines grew from 2008 to 2013, with many experiencing steady, year on year increases.
The following table presents output volume for each two-digit discipline in 2008 and 2013. It also presents the percentage growth from 2008 to 2013 and indicates which year of the reference period had the highest volume. Most disciplines peaked in 2013, at the end of the period. Percentage growth from 2008 to 2013 varied between the disciplines, ranging from two per cent for 15 Commerce, Management, Tourism and Services, to 61 per cent for 12 Built Environment and Design. Other disciplines with high growth in outputs include 05 Environmental Sciences (54 per cent), 11 Medical and Health Sciences (42 per cent) and 09 Engineering (38 per cent).
The charts show volume data for selected disciplines in more detail. Trends in output volume over the period are presented for those disciplines that experienced above-average growth (>29 per cent, first two figures).
Two-digit discipline growth between 2008 and 2013
FoR Code |
FoR Name |
Outputs 2008 |
Outputs 2013 |
Growth 2008-2013 |
Peak year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
12 |
Built Environment and Design |
1,235.3 |
1,994.5 |
61% |
2013 |
05 |
Environmental Sciences |
1,177.8 |
1,810.1 |
54% |
2012 |
11 |
Medical and Health Sciences |
12,862.2 |
18,290.7 |
42% |
2013 |
09 |
Engineering |
7,938.7 |
10,969.0 |
38% |
2013 |
19 |
Studies in Creative Arts and Writing |
1,764.9 |
2,405.0 |
36% |
2013 |
04 |
Earth Sciences |
1,622.0 |
2,182.0 |
35% |
2013 |
22 |
Philosophy and Religious Studies |
948.8 |
1,272.4 |
34% |
2013 |
17 |
Psychology and Cognitive Sciences |
2,140.2 |
2,790.5 |
30% |
2013 |
14 |
Economics |
1,069.5 |
1,389.5 |
30% |
2013 |
- |
All FoRs |
63,400.0 |
81,740.0 |
29% |
2013 |
13 |
Education |
2,996.7 |
3,877.5 |
29% |
2013 |
21 |
History and Archaeology |
1,190.3 |
1,525.2 |
28% |
2013 |
16 |
Studies in Human Society |
3,489.9 |
4,398.4 |
26% |
2013 |
18 |
Law and Legal Studies |
1,497.1 |
1,870.9 |
25% |
2013 |
06 |
Biological Sciences |
4,298.0 |
5,368.1 |
25% |
2013 |
03 |
Chemical Sciences |
2,235.0 |
2,748.7 |
23% |
2013 |
02 |
Physical Sciences |
2,448.4 |
3,011.1 |
23% |
2012 |
08 |
Information and Computing Sciences |
3,816.8 |
4,439.8 |
16% |
2013 |
20 |
Language, Communication and Culture |
2,106.6 |
2,398.9 |
14% |
2013 |
01 |
Mathematical Sciences |
1,697.9 |
1,836.9 |
8% |
2013 |
10 |
Technology |
1,097.2 |
1,180.3 |
8% |
2013 |
07 |
Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences |
1,913.3 |
2,054.0 |
7% |
2012 |
15 |
Commerce, Management, Tourism and Services |
3,853.2 |
3,926.4 |
2% |
2011 |
Trends in two-digit output volume – high-growth disciplines
The first chart shows a selection of disciplines that had an above average growth in volume of outputs (i.e. >29 per cent) for the period 2008 to 2013. Medical and Health Sciences (11), and 09 Engineering also experienced above average growth for the period (42 per cent and 38 per cent, respectively), these two-digit FoR codes are shown separately in the second chart due to their much larger volume.
Trends in two-digit output volume – high-growth, large volume disciplines
Four-digit discipline growth
The percentage growth in submitted outputs from 2008 to 2013 was calculated for all four-digit disciplines that had more than 1,000 outputs submitted for the whole reference period (disciplines with less than 1,000 outputs were considered too small to discern a meaningful trend). Most four-digit disciplines grew over the period 2008 to 2013 (108 out of 118 in this analysis), with only 10 showing negative growth. The majority of disciplines had their highest number of outputs in 2013, at the end of the period.
Growth rates ranged from -24 per cent (0103 Numerical and Computational Mathematics) to +139 per cent (1205 Urban and Regional Planning). The average for all disciplines was 29 per cent growth. In absolute terms, the disciplines that showed the largest growth were 1103 Clinical Sciences (1,320.8 more outputs in 2013 than in 2008), and 1117 Public Health and Health Services (1,198.7 more outputs in 2013). The figure below shows output growth for those four-digit disciplines that grew at more than twice the average of 29 per cent (i.e. > 58 per cent growth from 2008 to 2013). The table that follows presents output data for the four-digit disciplines that showed growth over the period 2008 to 2013 that was at or above the average rate of 29 per cent.
Trends in four-digit output growth – high-growth disciplines
The chart shows those four-digit disciplines that had growth from 2008 to 2013 that was more than twice the average for all FoRs (> 58 per cent).
Four-digit discipline growth between 2008 and 2013
The following table can be found on page 45 – 46 in the printed report. Available as an Excel spreadsheet (below) or PDF of this section (bottom of page).