An update from the Faculty REF Team on the preparations for the next Research Excellence Framework (REF) in 2021.
What has been happening?
- The Faculty’s submission for the University’s first REF Readiness Exercise was completed in September 2016, which included reports on three elements: research outputs (publications), impact and environment.
- Published papers are reviewed by the Faculty REF Team every six months to provide feedback to staff and also to give an idea of the Faculty’s current positioning in terms of the REF star ratings grading system.
- REF paper workshops are arranged twice a year for academic and research staff. These workshops provide an insight into how publications are graded by REF panels and what makes a 4* (the highest grade) paper.
- Group and individual meetings with impact leaders have taken place at a Faculty level to focus on current impact and to capture emerging impact.
- Directors of Research monitor impact in departments and identify new potential impact case studies. Staff are reminded to record all impact on Pure.
What's next?
- A new pilot has been launched in the Faculty to review pre-submission academic staff papers that are borderline 4*. Academic staff can email any draft papers that they feel could be rated 4* to Alison Ryan to be allocated for review. Feedback will be provided from a REF perspective.
- REF paper workshops will take place again this year for new academic and research staff. Find out more and sign up for a workshop on the Wiki page.
- Impact workshops for Early Career Researchers have been arranged to discuss what impact is in the context of REF, how to develop links with industry and how to build an impact case.
- The Faculty’s submission for the University’s second REF Readiness Exercise will be prepared over the next few months.
