REF 2029 Update
The University’s draft REF 2029 Code of Practice (CoP) has been approved by Senate for submission to the REF Team for final approval.
A CoP is a requirement for REF 2029 and sets a minimum standard for participation. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) wishing to make a submission to the exercise must have a CoP approved by the funding bodies.
What is the REF
The Research Excellence Framework (REF) is the UK’s system for assessing the excellence of research in UK higher education providers (HEIs). The REF outcomes are used to inform the allocation of around £2 billion per year of public funding for universities’ research.
The REF was first carried out in 2014, replacing the previous Research Assessment Exercise, and then in 2021. The next exercise is planned for 2029. Research England manages the REF on behalf of all four UK higher education funding bodies:
- Research England
- Scottish Funding Council
- Medr, Wales’ Commission for Tertiary Education and Research
- Department for the Economy, Northern Ireland
The funding bodies’ shared policy aim for research assessment is to secure a world-class, dynamic and responsive research base across the full academic spectrum within UK higher education.
REF Objectives
The REF objectives are to:
- provide accountability for public investment in research and produce evidence of the benefits of this investment
- provide benchmarking information and establish reputational yardsticks, for use in the higher education sector and for public information
- inform the selective allocation of funding for research to HEIs based on research quality
- provide insights into the health of research in HEIs in the UK
The REF is a process of expert review, carried out by sub-panels focused on subject-based units of assessment (UoAs), under the guidance of overarching main panels and advisory panels.
For the purposes of the REF, research is defined as a process of investigation leading to new insights, effectively shared.
Learn more about REF 2029
Contribution to Knowledge and Understanding
This component accounts for 55% of the overall quality profile.
REF 2029
Strategy, People and Research Environment
This component accounts for 20% of the overall quality profile.
REF 2029
Key Dates
View REF 2029 key dates.
