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The Research Excellence Framework (REF) is the system for assessing the quality of research in UK universities and higher education colleges.

IF YOU WANT YOUR RESEARCH TO QUALIFY FOR CONSIDERATION UNDER REF 2021 YOU MUST FOLLOW HEFCE POLICY AND DEPOSIT ALL PUBLICATIONS IN THE OPEN ACCESS ARCHIVE WITHIN 3 MONTHS OF ACCEPTANCE. 

ONLY 52% of papers in the division currently meet this criteria. deposit your work

This major exercise is undertaken by the four UK higher education funding bodies (the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales, the Scottish Funding Council and the Department for the Economy in Northern Ireland).

The key purposes of the REF are:

  • to inform the selective allocation of funding for research
  • to provide accountability for public investment in research and produce evidence of the benefits of this investment
  • to provide benchmarking information and establish reputational yardsticks, for use in the higher education sector and for public information.

The funding bodies have announced initial decisions on several aspects of the REF.

In a nutshell:

  • Impact goes up to 25%, Outputs 60 %, Environment 15%
  • Overall institutional impact will not be assessed 
  • Designated individuals to assess interdisciplinary research 
  • Units of Assessment UoA4 and UoA5 remain the same
  • Review period will be: Income and impacts 1st August 2013 – 31st July 2020, Outputs 1st January 2014 – 31st December 2020
  • Main panel chairs have been appointed. Application invited for Sub panel chairs by noon 11th October 2017