Research Excellence Framework
Securing a world-class, dynamic and responsive research base across the full academic spectrum within UK higher education
The REF is the UK’s system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions. It first took place in 2014 and 2021. The next exercise is planned for 2029.
What is the REF’s purpose?
- Inform the allocation of block-grant research funding to HEIs based on research quality
- Provide accountability for public investment in research and produce evidence of the benefits of this investment
- Provide insights into the health of research in HEIs in the UK
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.
For the purposes of the REF, research is defined as a process of investigation leading to new insights, effectively shared.
Latest news
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New blog: People, Culture and Environment (PCE) Pilot: Time to reflect
With the publication of the PCE Pilot report, Duncan Shermer, Head of REF Evaluation and Development, reflects on the exercise and elaborates on some of the hugely positive outcomes from the project. Read the blog here. See the Strategy, People, and Research Environment (SPRE) guidance.
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REF 2029 publishes updates and resumes criteria setting following pause
The Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2029 is vital to supporting a UK research system that delivers knowledge and innovation with real-world impact. A key mechanism underpinning the allocation of around £2 billion annually in research funding, REF ensures accountability for public investment and provides critical insight into the health and impact of UK research. Today’s updates follow…
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REF talks at UUK Conference, 10 December 2025
Professor Dame Jessica Corner, Executive Chair of Research England, and Helen Cross, Director of Research and Innovation, Scottish Funding Council and Vice Chair of the REF 2029 Steering Group, will speak about REF 2029 at the UUK conference on 10 December. Helen’s talk will be followed by a Q&A and she will be joined by Rebecca…
