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.
What was the PCE Pilot?
Announced in January 2024, the PCE Pilot aimed to use the findings from the PCE indicators project to explore the practicality of submission and assessment of various elements of PCE. The Pilot was delivered by the REF team, under the governance of the four UK funding bodies through the REF Steering Group.
The pilot involved volunteer higher education institutions (HEIs) completing PCE submissions across a selection of units of assessment. The participating HEIs produced an institutional level submission, alongside one or more subject level submissions for the selected pilot UoAs:
- Allied Health Professions, Dentistry, Nursing and Pharmacy (UoA 3)
- Biological Sciences (UoA 5)
- Earth Systems and Environmental Science (UoA 7)
- Computer Science and Informatics (UoA 11)
- Business and Management Studies (UoA 17)
- Social Work and Social Policy (UoA 20)
- History (UoA 28)
- Music, Drama, Dance, Performing Arts, Film and Screen Studies (UoA 33)
These submissions were assessed by expert peer review panels, and their findings were used to develop the REF 2029 guidance on submissions and assessment processes.
For further information on the development of the pilot, please see this blog.
Which HEIs participated?
The pilot included institutions from across the whole of the UK. HEIs were recruited through an open call for expressions of interest and selected to represent a broad range of different institution types and strategic missions.
How were HEI submissions assessed?
Submissions were assessed by eight subject-level assessment panels and an institution-level panel. PCE panellists were appointed through an open recruitment process. Please see the panel roles and their terms of reference for further information.
What governance structures were in place?
Both the PCE indicators project and the PCE Pilot were overseen by the REF Steering Group. The REF 2029 Advisory Panels were also engaged to provide expert advice on both projects as required.