For early career researchers (ECRs), REF 2029 represents a challenge but also an opportunity to position and shape their scholarly activity in the short and medium term. In this blog post, we outline briefly the fundamentals of the REF, why it matters and how ECRs can make the most of their research journey by approaching the REF in a novel way.

What is REF 2029?

The Research Excellence Framework (REF) is a UK-wide assessment of research excellence at universities, serving as a health check on research activity and its societal and economic benefits. In 2021, 157 universities participated. The REF evaluates universities based on research outputs (50 per cent), societal and economic impact (25 per cent) and the research environment supporting these activities (25 per cent). The next edition of the REF – REF 2029 – will continue to focus broadly on these three pillars, though the specific guidelines of how this will be achieved will be published soon (REF, 2023). The REF is guided by a process of independent peer review, with assessments carried out by experts across four panels.

What does the REF mean for ECRs?

Being an early career researcher today is not easy. You may work for a more research-oriented university, or you may do so for a teaching-focused institution with limited resources available for research and scholarly activity. The vast majority of ECRs are likely to work for universities that are somewhere in between those two extremes. Regardless, teaching will be a key part of an ECR’s job. Then there are administrative commitments, as well as scholarly activity that may include reviewing manuscripts for journals or even being a guest editor for a journal’s special issue. Then comes the research, knowledge exchange activity, engagement with external stakeholders, and a raft of other conflicting pressures on one’s time. It is easy for many ECRs – and, arguably, more senior academics too – to treat the REF as an afterthought or something that can be put on the backburner, especially when the previous REF cycle has just finished, and universities are still reflecting on their performance and trying to strategise a way forward for the next REF cycle.

Yet, that is the best time to plan ahead as an ECR. There is no need to become a ‘REF anorak’ and learn all the intricacies of how Unit of Assessment panels evaluate research outputs and impact case studies. Of course, learning about the rules is important. Similarly, exercising a certain degree of pragmatism in the process may work too. For instance, achieving a 4-star publication will increase the likelihood of one’s research being included in the university’s submission to the REF.

However, we would advocate instead for ECRs to adopt a more holistic and developmental approach to the REF. This is an opportunity to learn more about the Unit of Assessment your research is likely to feature in. How did your university do in the previous REF? How would your research fit within the application submitted by your university within that Unit of Assessment? Is your scholarly activity more suited to high-ranking research outputs (such as 4-star journal articles) or would it find a better home within a REF Impact Case Study in conjunction with more senior colleagues with similar research interests? Alternatively, would your scholarly activity be more likely to feature strongly in the Research Environment section because of your ability to attract external research funding, editorial positions with highly ranked journals, or enthusiasm for developing special interest groups or cross-faculty networks aimed at nurturing interdisciplinary research?

‘Given the financial pressures facing UK universities and their impact on research resources, understanding the REF is no longer merely strategic – it is essential.’

Given the financial pressures facing UK universities and their impact on research resources, understanding the REF is no longer merely strategic – it is essential. Having meaningful conversations with REF unit of assessment leaders/coordinators, deputy deans for research, directors for impact and engagement, associate heads of school for research and research centre directors, is of paramount importance.

These conversations help ECRs identify research synergies, align their interests, and determine how their strengths fit into the university’s REF submission. Then, of course, there is timing, networking and a little sprinkling of luck … but maybe that is a topic for another blog post. Whether it becomes threat or opportunity depends on how we navigate these pathways. So, we return to our question: ‘The Research Excellence Framework 2029: Threat or opportunity for early career researchers?’ The choice is ours.

References

Research Excellence Framework [REF]. (2023). Research Excellence Framework 2028: Initial decisions and issues for further consultation (REF 2028/23/01). https://repository.jisc.ac.uk/9148/1/research-excellence-framework-2028-initial-decisions-report.pdf