Research Excellence Framework

The Research Excellence Framework (REF) is the new system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions. It will replace the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) and will be completed in 2014, with a submission date in late 2013.

Impact
HEFCE
REF School guidance

It is anticipated that impact will form a significant element of the REF. Breaking news about how impact will be assessed in the REF and School guidance on how to prepare impact submissions will be announced here.

Note that any queries requiring a response from HEFCE should be sent to Michael Nelson, Research Division, in the first instance - m.w.nelson@lse.ac.uk| or 020 7107 5221.

HEFCE full findings following the REF Impact Pilot [HEFCE]
Impact Pilot: Example case studies from Social Work and Social Policy [HEFCE]
Report from Technopolis: REF research impact pilot exercise lessons-learned Project. Feedback on pilot submissions [HEFCE]
The School held an Impact Case Studies Seminar on 28 November 2011. The documents presented are available below.
Impact Case Studies Seminar - Agenda [Word; restricted access]
REF Impact Workshop - Presentation by Professor Stuart Corbridge [Powerpoint; restricted access]
REF Impact Workshop - Presentation by Professor Nick Barr [pdf; restricted access]
Public Policy Group - Presentation [Powerpoint; restricted access]
REF Guidance on Submissions - Impact Template and Case Studies [Word]
Impact case study template and guidance [Word]
Impact Case Studies - Checklist for Authors [Word; restricted access]
Example Case Study I [Word; restricted access; note that this is a draft and may be subject to further work]
Example Case Study II [Word; restricted access; note that this is a draft and may be subject to further work]

The Higher Education Funding Council for England is managing the REF 2014 on behalf of all the UK funding councils. All official HEFCE announcements on REF will be made on their website and important news highlighted here.

Note that any queries requiring a response from HEFCE should be sent to Michael Nelson, Research Division, in the first instance - m.w.nelson@lse.ac.uk| or 020 7107 5221.

Key Links
Panel Criteria and Working Methods [HEFCE; January 2012]
REF FAQs [HEFCE]
Assessment framework and guidance on submisisons [HEFCE; July 2011]
HEFCE Research Excellence Framework [HEFCE; main page]
Templates
Format and page limits for textual parts of submissions
Impact template (REF 3a)
Environment template (REF 5)
Supplementary Information
Maternity leave in the REF [HEFCE; October 2011]
REF 2014 submissions system: import requirements and output information [HEFCE; October 2011]
Analysis of panel membership [HEFCE; July 2011]]
Guidance to panels [HEFCE; July 2011]
Equality briefing for panels [HEFCE; July 2011]
Members appointed to REF Panels [HEFCE]
Official HEFCE timetable [HEFCE]
Main and Sub-panel Chairs [HEFCE]
Please note that HEFCE will collect, store and process all information submitted by the School to the REF in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998. Information will be processed for the purposes of conducting and evaluating the REF. Information may be shared with other organisations to facilitate this, and will be shared with panel chairs, members, assessors, secretaries and observers, who are all bound by confidentiality arrangements. HEFCE will extract and pass some information to HESA to enable data verification. Parts of the School's submission will be published on the internet. Also, data will be used to monitor the diversity of staff selected for the REF. For full details please refer to the Assessment framework and guidance on submissions [link above].

The School's preparations for REF will be overseen by the REF Strategy Committee. The School has also appointed two REF coordinators (Professors Barr and Buzan) who will be the link between REFSC and Departments. Important documents related to the School's REF preparations will be posted here.

REFSC Membership and Terms of Reference [Word]
REFSC Timetable of Meetings 2011/12 [Word]
REF overview and latest developments [Word; restricted access]
REF Summary of Panel Criteria & Working Methods [Word; restricted access]
Guidance on Submissions - A School Summary [Word; restricted access]
School timetable of REF actions [Word; restricted access]
REF Key Dates [Word]
Unit of assessment mappings [Word; restricted access]
Correspondence from the Chair of REF Strategy Committee
Letter from the Chair (19/03/2012) re: Planning for REF 2014: Update, Notes and Action Points [Word; restricted access]
REF2014 Summary of Panel Criteria and Working Methods: Read in conjunction with the Chair's Letter dated 19/03/2012 [Word; restricted access].
Letter from the Chair (21/11/11) re: Impact Case Studies [pdf; restricted access]
Public Policy Group: Presentation to REFSC on 17/11/11 [Powerpoint; restricted access]
REF paper to Council (25/05/11) [Word; restricted access]
Email from the Chair (02/03/11) re: publication of impact documents [Word; restricted access]
Letter from the Chair (18/02/11) following February 2011 REFSC [pdf; restricted access]
Letter regarding REF preparations (16/12/10) [Word; restricted access]
Letter regarding REF preparations (06/12/10) [Word; restricted access]

Research Division e-Briefing

Funding opportunities

Managing your award