The emerging shape of the 2028 Research Excellence Framework

Abstract

What will the 2028 Research Excellence Framework (REF) mean for UK Higher Education Institutions (HEIs)? As a major mechanism for assessing and rewarding research quality and excellence – to the tune of £2 billion a year in Quality-Related (QR) funding and devolved equivalents allocated to institutions across the UK – there are few levers as influential as REF in shaping the value system underpinning UK research. Revisions to the REF have ramifications for institutions in terms of both prestige and funding, prompting both excitement and apprehension in the sector.