Last updated: 10 December 2025
The pilot exercise is now complete and you can read about the findings in our final report. Learnings from this pilot have informed the development of the Strategy, people and research environment (SPRE) guidance.
The PCE indicators report is now complete and you can read the findings in the PCE indicators report.
Background
In January 2024 the funding bodies commissioned a project to develop the indicators and template for PCE assessment in REF 2029. The commission was awarded to Technopolis and Vitae in collaboration with several community partners, including:
- the Association of Research Managers and Administrators (ARMA)
- the UK Reproducibility Network (UKRN)
- the Future Leaders Fellows Development Network (FLFDN)
- the National Association of Disabled Staff Networks (NADSN)
- the Black Female Academics Network (BFAN)
- the National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCCPE)
- the authors of The Harnessing the Metric Tide, Elizabeth Gadd, James Wilsdon, and Stephen Curry.
The broad aims of this project were to:
- develop a set of indicators to be used by institutions to evidence PCE
- produce a draft submission template and assessment framework for PCE. These draft materials were tested as part of the PCE Pilot
- put forward recommendations on the use of these indicators to the funding bodies
The project implemented a co-creation approach, including sector-wide engagement to create a widely supported yet practicable approach to assessing institutions’ stewardship of research culture.
The first phase of this project ran from January to April 2024 and was focused on desk research. This research drew on a variety of sources including Environment statements from REF 2021, feedback received through prior engagement and consultations with the sector, and other published reports. This phase of the project developed a provisional list of elements of research culture and environment and an initial long list of sample indicators.
From May to October 2024, the project provided multiple opportunities for the sector to engage with the development of the PCE indicators. These included:
- a series of online workshops to co-develop definitions and indicators to be used in the assessment of the PCE
- a survey to provide an additional way to feed into the sector engagement and indicator co-design process. The survey was aimed at gathering individual views and was open to anyone interested in the development of PCE in REF 2029.
The information gathered through the PCE indicators project was used to develop the guidance for the PCE Pilot.