New programme of work during the pause in REF 2029

Research England is today announcing a programme of work in response to the announcement of a pause to REF 2029 from Lord Patrick Vallance.

Research England welcomes the pause in the development of Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2029 for a short period to take stock and ensure alignment with the UK government’s priorities and vision for higher education.

REF response

Research England will work closely with colleagues in the devolved funding bodies and engage further with the sector to finalise the approach to REF 2029 in the coming months.

Outcomes of the recently concluded pilot assessment that examined  people, culture and environment  will be taken into account, and every opportunity will be taken to streamline and reduce burden on the sector.

Research England programme

In parallel, Research England will also be initiating a programme of work during the pause to:

  • explore the option of baseline performance in research culture being a condition of funding
  • explore options for a twin or multi-track lighter touch approach to assessment for less research-intensive institutions and smaller specialist institutions
  • consider how our funding allocation mechanisms in England could be modified to reward collaboration and specialisation, as part of our ongoing review of Strategic Institutional Research Funding
  • accelerate current work and thinking about the future of research assessment

Over the autumn, further details on these work areas will be communicated, alongside continued engagement with the sector and its representative bodies.

Taking stock

Professor Dame Jessica Corner, Executive Chair of Research England, said:

We all strive for a research and innovation system that is dynamic, globally competitive and rooted in excellence. The brief pause in developing REF 2029 will allow us to take stock and really deliver this ambition. I would like to thank those who have invested their time and have contributed to the creation of REF 2029 so far.

Today, we have set out our programme of work that we will be focusing on during the pause, and we look forward to engaging with colleagues in the devolved funding bodies and those from across the sector in the coming months.

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