REF2029

The purpose of REF2029 is to:

• To provide accountability for public investment in research and produce evidence of the benefits of this investment.
• To provide benchmarking information and establish reputational yardsticks, for use within the Higher Education sector and for public information.
• To inform the selective allocation of funding for research.

“The REF outcomes are used to inform the allocation of around £2 billion per year of public funding for universities’ research.”

The Research Excellence Framework (REF) is the UK’s system for assessing the excellence of research in UK higher education institutions (HEIs). The REF outcomes are used to inform the allocation of around £2 billion per year of public funding for universities’ research. The REF is a process of expert review, carried out by sub-panels focused on subject-based units of assessment (UOAs), under the guidance of overarching main panels and advisory panels. Panels are made up of senior academics, international members, and research users.