Following the initial REF pause, announced in September by UK Science Minister Lord Vallance, the REF 2029 resumes with new policies and updates. Elements of REF 2021 have been retained to reduce burden for the sector and to maintain the original timetable. There will be no formal consultation on the guidance or panel criteria and working methods, though sector engagement will continue.
Updated assessment weightings:
- Contribution to Knowledge and Understanding (CKU) = 55%
- Engagement and Impact (E&I) = 25%
- Strategy, People and Research Environment (SPRE) = 20%
SPRE has replaced the formerly named People, Culture and Environment (PCE) element, building on the REF 2021 Environment component and informed by the PCE pilot, which took place earlier this year.
CKU has been simplified, and the assessment of impact has been broadly retained from REF 2021, with unit-level statements removed from both CKU and E&I elements. The recommended maximum of five outputs per researcher has been reinstated, and to avoid pressure on individuals, the minimum of one has been removed.
As outlined in the Initial Decisions, impact case study requirements are reduced to one for the smallest units, with the 2* qualifying threshold for underpinning research removed.
Vivienne Stern, Chief Executive of Universities UK (UUK), said: “We strongly welcome this pragmatic approach, which shows that the four UK funding bodies have listened carefully to researchers and universities. This matters because university research shapes our daily lives, and the REF helps funders target investment where it will drive the next generation of discoveries.”
Rebecca Fairbairn, REF 2029 Director, said: “REF 2029 is a framework built with and for the sector. It values dynamic environments, drawn from the diversity of ideas, institutions, people, methodologies, outputs and activities of research excellence across all four nations. It champions collaboration" and engagement, making research more relevant to communities and society. Thank you to everyone who contributed to shaping this future-focused approach.”
Panels for REF 2029 will begin meeting in early 2026 to set criteria, and an Institutional-Level Working Group will be established to focus on Strategy, People and Research Environment.
The full update by the REF 2029 can be read here, with further guidance included on SPRE and E&I, as well as an updated timetable. More details are also outlined in a blog from Helen Cross, REF 2029 Steering Group Deputy Chair.