Research Excellence Framework The policy is set out below but what does it mean for the individual researcher?

You will be hearing much about REF in the coming months. Do you know what it is all about?   Val Wooff, Durham’s REF Manager, will be providing an overview and answering questions.

The Research Excellence Framework (REF) is the new system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions (HEIs). It will replace the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) and will be completed in 2014. The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) working with their equivalents in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are managing the REF on behalf of Government.

The primary purpose of the REF is to produce assessment outcomes for each submission made by institutions:

·     The funding bodies intend to use the assessment outcomes to inform the selective allocation of their research funding to HEIs, with effect from 2015-16.

·     The assessment provides accountability for public investment in research and produces evidence of the benefits of this investment.

·     The assessment outcomes provide benchmarking information and establish reputational yardsticks.