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Register hereThe Research Excellence Framework (REF) is the UK’s system for assessing the excellence of research in UK higher education institutions (HEIs). The last exercise was held in 2021 and the next will take place in 2029.
SFC, Research England, the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales agus Department for the Economy (Northern Ireland) conduct the REF jointly.
The purpose of REF is:
In Scotland the results of REF inform allocation of the Research Excellence Grant (REG).
The four funding bodies are currently developing the REF 2029 exercise in close consultation with the sector.
Further information is available on the REF website or by emailing ref2029@sfc.ac.uk.
Chairs confirmed for the four REF 2029 main panels
REF 2029 panel secretariat recruitment
REF 2029 main panel and sub-panel recruitment to launch in December
Launch of submission size survey
Membership confirmed for REF advisory panels
REF 2029 main panel chair recruitment
Update to the HESA Staff record 2024/25 collection for REF volume measure pilot year
Early decisions made on REF 2029 Open Access Policy
Announcement of participating institutions in the People, Culture and Environment pilot exercise
REF 2029 policy update – Spring 2024
Analysis of responses to Initial decisions consultation
REF 2029 advisory panel recruitment.
People, Culture and Environment Pilot Assessment Panels.
Expressions of interest now open for People, Culture and Environment Indicators workshops.
People, Culture and Environment,
Initial decisions next steps December 2023 – REF 2029 were published on 7 December 2023.
Initial decisions and issues for further consultation were published in June 2023, with consultation responses invited by 6 October 2023.
A further consultation on the assessment of people, culture and environment in REF 2028 closed on 1 December 2023.
The Future Research Assessment Programme (FRAP) was initiated at the request of UK and devolved government ministers and funding bodies. This significant piece of work, launched in May 2021, was led by the four funding bodies and aimed to explore possible approaches to the assessment of UK higher education research performance following REF 2021.
Through dialogue with the higher education sector, the Programme sought to understand what a healthy, thriving research system looks like and the role that a national assessment model can have as its foundation. The work strands included evaluation of REF 2021, understanding international research assessment practice, and investigating possible evaluation models and approaches. The Programme aimed to identify evaluation approaches that can encourage and strengthen the emphasis on delivering excellent research and impact, and support a positive research culture, while simplifying and reducing the administrative burden on the HE sector.
An international advisory group was established to guide the funding bodies in their evaluation and consultation activities.
The results of the Future Research Assessment Programme inform the development of REF 2029.
The last research excellence framework was carried out in 2021. REF 2021 built on the REF exercise carried out in 2014, taking into account the recommendations of an independent review into that assessment process.
The results of REF 2021 were published on 12 May 2022. We have also produced a summary of the specific Scottish results:
The funding bodies commissioned a thorough programme of evaluation of REF 2021. This included a review of the exercise’s costs and benefits, analysis of impact case studies (an element of the REF submission which aims to demonstrate the impact of university research beyond academia), and analysis of research outputs submitted to the REF.
SFC Strategic Plan 2022-27
Building a connected, agile, sustainable tertiary education and research system for Scotland.