REF 2029 update, including the REF panel recruitment process

The Director of REF 2029 has contacted BASES to share the progress that has been made in developing REF 2029 and to provide an update on changes that relate to how they will recruit members of the discipline-based Unit of Assessment expert panels, so that we can continue to support with this element of the exercise.

Progress in developing REF 2029

While the assessment itself is still some way in the future, this is now an exciting stage of development.

• A major change announced in the REF Initial Decisions was the move to fully break the link between individual staff members and unit submissions. There will no longer be a “REF census date”, people will not be submitted to the REF. Instead, outputs from any staff member can be submitted and the volume of outputs submitted will be based on Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) data. A workshop was held in June to develop the nuance of this change and the first policy announcement on this will be made in the coming days, with more to follow in the autumn.

• The Advisory Panels for REF 2029 have been reshaped. There will be a People and Diversity Advisory Panel and a Research Diversity Advisory Panel. The recruitment process for these is well underway and it is expected that the membership will be announced in early October.
• It is planned to launch the Main Panel Chair recruitment in late August, running the opportunity to the end of September.

• Approaches commonly employed by industry are being used to develop REF systems, putting users at the heart of their design. There has been a wonderful uptake of this, and the opportunity to participate remains open.

• The REF 2029 Open Access Policy will be published later this year. On Wednesday 14 August 2024, some early policy decisions were set out relating to implementation dates for journal articles, conference proceedings and longform outputs. This responds to sector concerns raised in consultation and in recognition of the broad set of challenges currently facing the sector.

Changes to the recruitment process

The REF 2029 team has reviewed learning from previous exercises as they create their processes for this exercise. Two issues they are prioritising are minimising burdensome processes and improving their approach to diversity on panels. To tackle these, they are changing the way they recruit REF panels. Rather than seeking nominations, they will invite individuals to apply directly to act as panel members. This change is intended to:

The Ref 2029 Team recognises the huge value that Professional Bodies have brought to the REF in ensuring that expert panel members hold the confidence of the community. They hope to continue to work with BASES in the recruitment of REF panels. However, instead of asking BASES to complete forms and nomination letters, they would like to capitalise on the intelligence and steer Professional Bodies can provide to the exercise, in a way that is as low burden as possible.

While the diversity of expert panels for REF 2021 was an improvement on previous exercises, they know that REF panels tend not to be as diverse as the research and innovation sector, or the wider UK population. Through this email, we are encouraging members of our community who are well suited to sit on the expert panels to apply, and to pay particular attention to the diversity of potential applicants. We actively encourage support for individuals from underrepresented groups in our community.

The Ref 2029 Team plans to launch REF Main Panel Chair Recruitment later this month. The REF Main Panel Chairs play a crucial role in the assessment process, helping to ensure fairness, transparency, and robust decision-making. They oversee the development of assessment criteria and methods, guide the sub-panels in their evaluations, and contribute to the overall quality and integrity of the REF. The Ref 2029 Team will be in touch with full details of these when they have been confirmed, for which BASES will share this opportunity to apply for the role of REF Main Panel Chair, encouraging suitable members of our community to apply. The process for full expert panel membership will follow later in the year, for which we will share, once received.