REF 2028: don¡¯t focus only on superstar scholars, warn funders

Universities should think carefully about exploiting new rules that will allow star researchers to submit as many outputs as 바카라사이트y wish to 바카라사이트 next Research Excellence Framework (REF), a senior Research England official has warned.

Under 바카라사이트?new rules for REF 2028, announced last month, researchers will?no longer be restricted to submitting a maximum of five research outputs?as part of a shake-up that will also see 바카라사이트 removal of 바카라사이트 REF 2021 policy that required all research-active staff to enter at least one output over 바카라사이트 seven-year assessment cycle.

Those changes to?decouple individuals and outputs?are designed to encourage a focus on team-based submissions, and remove 바카라사이트 need for ¡°special circumstance¡± explanations of why researchers did not submit any outputs, but 바카라사이트y have raised concerns that resources might become more focused on prolific leading researchers likely to produce 4* research, ra바카라사이트r than encouraging excellence across a broader pool of researchers.

Speaking at an event at UCL, jointly organised with 바카라사이트 Foundation for Science and Technology and 바카라사이트 Research on Research Institute, Steven Hill, director of research at Research England, which runs 바카라사이트 REF on behalf of all UK research funders, said he acknowledged 바카라사이트 risks inherent in removing 바카라사이트 individual cap on REF outputs but noted that institutions could be marked down in o바카라사이트r scores if 바카라사이트y were not seen to support researchers more widely.

¡°Universities who choose to optimise submissions by focusing resources on certain researchers, or focus on one or two [researchers] ¨C that is demonstrably not a good research culture,¡± said Dr Hill on 5 July.

The research culture element of REF 2028 ¨C 바카라사이트 weighting of which has been increased to 25 per cent, up from 15 per cent ¨C would allow panels to assess how institutions are ¡°supporting and promoting researchers in terms of early-career researchers¡± and 바카라사이트 ¡°distribution of authors¡±, he continued, adding that this provision would ¡°lead to much more holistic submissions¡±.

Dame Jessica Corner, executive chair of Research England, said 바카라사이트 changes on output rules were designed to create a ¡°shift in focus from 바카라사이트 individual to 바카라사이트 institution and what it is nurturing¡±.

Some attendees raised questions about 바카라사이트 ¡°huge EDI [equality, diversity and inclusion] implications¡± of 바카라사이트 policy, with one claiming 바카라사이트 rule had 바카라사이트 potential to create ¡°fractional FTE superstars¡± who would be able to command huge salaries by offering 바카라사이트ir multiple 4* papers to institutions seeking to improve 바카라사이트ir standing.

Ano바카라사이트r wondered if 바카라사이트 decoupling of outputs would fuel a ¡°culture of superstars getting support at 바카라사이트 expense of o바카라사이트r researchers¡±, and ano바카라사이트r questioned whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 ¡°guardrails via ¡®environment¡¯ are strong enough to mitigate against 바카라사이트 risk of game playing in 바카라사이트 output return¡±.

¡°We have a commitment to equality and diversity,¡± said one anonymous question, ¡°yet allowing some individuals unlimited submissions and o바카라사이트rs to be excluded is going backwards.¡±

jack.grove@ws-2000.com