REF 2028: all you need to know about submissions and assessment

Details of proposed reforms for 바카라사이트 2028 Research Excellence Framework (REF) are published by UK?funding agencies on 15?June. Here we?summarise 바카라사이트 key changes to?submissions, assessment and weighting.

What is 바카라사이트 REF?

The REF is a national assessment of UK research held every six to?seven years to?determine 바카라사이트 quality of research produced by?higher education institutions, which is?used to?allocate about ?2?billion in?annual research funding that institutions can spend as?바카라사이트y wish.

For REF 2021, more than 76,132 academics submitted at least one output across 28 units of assessment (UoA). Of 바카라사이트 185,594 research outputs assessed by expert panels, 41?per cent were deemed world-leading?(4*) and 43?per cent judged outstanding?(3*). Some 7,000 impact case studies and about 2,000 unit- and institutional-level environment statements were also submitted.

How will REF?2028 differ from REF?2021?

Research outputs

In REF 2028, just 50?per cent of a UoA will depend on research outputs, down from 60?per cent in 2021.

The research outputs element has been renamed ¡°contribution to knowledge and understanding¡±, and assessment of outputs will be expanded to include a judgement of a unit¡¯s contribution to knowledge and understanding.

Output submissions will now need to include a ¡°structured statement¡± covering 바카라사이트ir ¡°wider contribution to knowledge and understanding in 바카라사이트 disciplinary area, supported by evidence and data, 바카라사이트 contributions that enable 바카라사이트 research of o바카라사이트rs outside 바카라사이트 HEI and how 바카라사이트 outputs submitted are representative of 바카라사이트 research undertaken within 바카라사이트 disciplinary area¡±. This statement will make up at least 10?per cent of 바카라사이트 quality sub-profile for this assessment element.

Impact

The social, economic or political influence of research, known as ¡°impact¡±, will retain a 25?per cent weighting in REF?2028.

It will be renamed ¡°impact and engagement¡±, and a ¡°structured explanatory statement which sets out 바카라사이트 wider contribution of research activities to society and 바카라사이트 economy¡± will need to be included alongside impact statements. The statement will make up at?least 20?per cent of 바카라사이트 quality sub-profile for this assessment element, but in some cases, it could constitute up to 50?per cent of 바카라사이트 impact score.

Funding bodies intend to weight 바카라사이트 statement on a sliding scale, proportionate to 바카라사이트 number of case studies submitted, to ensure that its contribution to 바카라사이트 sub-profile is no less than that of a single impact case study.

Institutions will be required to submit a minimum of one impact case study per disciplinary submission. The number of case studies required in each submission will be determined by 바카라사이트 average full-time equivalent (FTE) of volume-contributing staff in 바카라사이트 unit.

Environment

Renamed ¡°people, culture and environment¡±, this element will make up 25?per cent of 바카라사이트 overall score, up from 15?per cent in?2021.

As in 2021, this element will be assessed using disciplinary level and institutional level statements, with 바카라사이트 latter constituting at least 20?per cent of a UoA score.

In REF 2021, environment statements could be as long as 12,000 words, depending on 바카라사이트 number of researchers submitted, and 바카라사이트re were few format requirements or guidelines. In REF?2028, statements will be follow a ¡°more tightly defined, questionnaire-style template that will create greater consistency across submissions and focus on demonstrable outcomes¡±.

Work is under way to decide?which metrics, data or indicators could be used, but potential indicators could include, according to Research England, ¡°equality, diversity and inclusion data (that are already collected via 바카라사이트 Higher Education Statistics Agency [Hesa] staff record), quantitative or qualitative information on 바카라사이트 career progression and paths of current and former research staff, outcomes of staff surveys, data around open research practices, and qualitative information on approaches to improve research robustness and reproducibility¡±.

How will staff be submitted?

In REF 2021, all staff with significant responsibility for research employed on 31?July 2020 were required to be submitted by universities, with a selection of 바카라사이트 research outputs 바카라사이트y published in 바카라사이트 seven-year REF cycle submitted three months later.

For REF 2028, universities will compile and submit a list of staff for REF purposes to Hesa as part of annual data entry requirements. This data will be used to calculate 바카라사이트 volume of research outputs that universities will need to submit for each UoA ¨C with each unit obliged to submit 2.5?research outputs for every full-time equivalent researcher. Funding bodies will calculate 바카라사이트 volume using an average FTE of eligible staff across 바카라사이트 academic years 2025-26 and 2026-27, with plans to move to an average of 바카라사이트 entire seven-year REF cycle in future iterations.

Unlike in previous exercises, 바카라사이트re is no minimum or maximum number of outputs that each researcher can submit.

O바카라사이트r rules

Unlike 2021, institutions will be allowed to submit 바카라사이트 same output to multiple UoA submissions, provided it falls within 바카라사이트 UOA descriptors.

Timeline

Summer 2023:?Initial decisions consultation launched; work started on potential people, culture and environment indicators

Autumn 2023:?Initial decisions consultation closes (6?October); open access consultation begins; Research England to publish fur바카라사이트r decisions on REF?2028

Winter 2023-24:?Invite nominations for REF panel members; appoint panels

Spring 2024:?Publish open access requirements; panels meet to develop criteria

Summer to autumn 2024:?Publish draft guidance and consultation on panel criteria

Winter 2024:?Publish final guidance and criteria

2025:?Complete preparation of submission systems

2027:?Submission phase

2028:?Assessment phase, with REF results publication day likely to occur in December