Index of definitions and data requirements

Advisory panels

Definition

In addition to the Expert panels, the assessment process is supported by two advisory panels: the People and Diversity Advisory Panel (PDAP) and the Research Diversity Advisory Panel (RDAP). These panels provide expert guidance on promoting diversity of research and people within the UK research system. 

Reference

Paragraph 2.0.6., Section 1: Overview in the Guidance

Assessment criteria

Definition

The panels will use the following criteria to assess the quality of each element of the submission:

• Contribution to Knowledge and Understanding (CKU) – ‘originality, significance and rigour’
• Engagement and Impact – ‘reach and significance’
• Strategy, People and Research Environment (SPRE) – ‘vitality and sustainability’.

Reference

Annex A: Assessment criteria and level definitions in the Panel criteria

Assessment period

Definition

Research impacts, the research environment and data about research income and research doctoral degrees awarded must fall within the assessment period. This will run from 1 August 2020 to 31 July 2028.

Reference

Paragraph 1.1.2., Section 1: Overview in the Guidance

Paragraph 7.0.1. and paragraph 7.1.1., both in Section 6: E&I guidance in the Guidance

Paragraph 4.0.1., paragraph 4.1.1., paragraph 4.1.3. and paragraph 4.2.1., all in Section 7: SPRE guidance in the Guidance

Codes of practice

Definition

A Code of Practice (CoP) is a requirement for REF 2029. It sets a minimum standard for participation. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) wishing to make a submission to the exercise must have a CoP approved by the funding bodies and make publicly available on their institutional websites.

Reference

Section 8: CoP guidance in the Guidance

Double-weighting

Definition

Institutions may request that outputs of extended scale and scope be double-weighted (count as two outputs) in the assessment.

Reference

Sub-section 10.12., paragraph 12.4.1., sub-section 18. and sub-section 19., all in Section 4: CKU guidance in the Guidance

Expert panels (main and sub-panels and Institutional-Level Strategy People and Research Environment (IL SPRE) panel)

Definition

In each of the 34 UoAs an expert sub-panel will conduct a detailed assessment of submissions. The sub-panels will work under the leadership and guidance of four main panels. In parallel the IL SPRE panel will assess institution-level SPRE statements.

Reference

Paragraph 1.1.1, Section 1: Overview in the Guidance

Impact

Definition

An effect on, change or benefit to the economy, society, culture, public policy or services, health, the environment or quality of life, beyond academia.

Reference

Sub-section 4, Section 6: E&I guidance in the Guidance

Interdisciplinary research

Definition

Research aiming to achieve outcomes and / or new approaches that could not be achieved within a single discipline. Interdisciplinary research features significant interaction between two or more disciplines and/or moves beyond established disciplinary foundations, for example in applying or integrating research approaches from other disciplines.

Reference

Annex C: Glossary of research practices in the Guidance.

See also, sub-section 13.2., Section 4: CKU guidance in the Guidance

Joint submission

Definition

Two or more UK institutions may make a joint submission in a UoA, where this is the most appropriate way of describing research, they have developed or undertaken collaboratively. Panels assess a joint submission in the same way as submissions from single institutions.

Reference

Paragraph 2.1.1. and paragraph 2.1.13., both in Section 2: Submissions in the Guidance.

See also, paragraph 10.0.8., Section 1: Overview in the Guidance

Multiple submission

Definition

Institutions may exceptionally, and only with prior permission from the REF Director, make more than one submission in the same UoA. Requests must be made in the Submission system with deadlines in March, June, and November 2027.

Reference

Sub-section 3.1., Section 2 Submissions in the Guidance.

See also paragraphs 2.1.7 to 2.1.11., Section 2: Submissions in the Guidance

Output

Definition

The product of research, as defined in the REF. An underpinning principle of the REF is that all forms of research output will be assessed on a fair and equal basis.

Reference

Section 4: CKU guidance in the Guidance

Sub-section 5.1., Section 4: CKU guidance in the Guidance

Annex B: Output glossary in the Guidance

Annex C: Glossary of research practices in the Guidance

Publication period

Definition

Outputs submitted to REF 2029 must have been first made publicly available between 1 January 2021 and 31 December 2028.

Reference

Sub-section 6.2., Section 4: CKU guidance in the Guidance

Research

Definition

For the purposes of the REF, research is defined as ‘a process of investigation leading to new insights, effectively shared’.

Reference

Sub-section 5.3., Section 4: CKU guidance in the Guidance

Research assistant

Definition

Academic staff whose primary employment function is ‘research only’ and who are employed to carry out another individual’s research programme rather than as independent researchers in their own right.

Reference

Sub-section 9.5., Section 3: Volume Measure guidance in the Guidance

Research independence

Definition

A ‘research only’ contract is considered to demonstrate research independence if the staff member undertakes self-directed research, rather than primarily carrying out another individual’s research programme.

Reference

Paragraphs 9.1.2 to 9.1.3., Section 3: Volume Measure guidance in the Guidance

Quality profile/sub-profile

Definition

The overall quality profile for the REF comprises of the scores for the three sub- profiles: Contribution to Knowledge and Understanding (CKU) (55 per cent), Engagement and Impact (25 per cent), and Strategy, People and Research Environment (20 per cent).

Reference

Annex A: Quality profiles in the Guidance

Significant responsibility for research

Definition

Staff with significant responsibility for research are those for whom explicit time and resources are made available to engage actively in independent research, and that is an expectation of their job role.

Reference

Sub-section 8.4., Section 3: Volume Measure guidance in the Guidance

Starred level definitions

Definition

Each of the three elements of the assessment – Contribution to Knowledge and Understanding (CKU), Engagement and Impact, and Strategy, People and Research Environment (SPRE) – will receive a sub-profile, showing the proportion of the submission that meets each of four starred quality levels.

Reference

Annex A: Assessment criteria and level definitions in the Panel criteria

Statement on the Research Community

Definition

With the decoupling of the volume measure from submitted outputs, the definition of a submitting unit has broadened from REF 2021 to reflect the full research community. To recognise this broader research community, the ULS will include a Statement on the Research Community.

Reference

Sub-section 3.5., Section 7: SPRE guidance in the Guidance

Statement of Representation

Definition

To mitigate the potential for full decoupling to lead to the under-representation of research areas, research practices and research groups, a statement outlining the research diversity of the unit is required.

Reference

Sub-section 3.4., Section 7: SPRE guidance in the Guidance

Submission

Definition

A submission comprises a complete set of data about Contribution to Knowledge and Understanding (CKU), Engagement and Impact, and Strategy, People and Research Environment (SPRE), returned by an HEI in any of the 34 UoAs, and an institution level (IL)SPRE statement.

Reference

Paragraph 2.0.4., Section 2: Submissions in the Guidance

Submitted unit

Definition

A submitted unit comprises the collection of subject structures, research groups and research activity in a HEI, that collectively contribute to all or part of the total institutional submission to the UoA. With the decoupling of the volume measure from submitted outputs, the definition of a submitting unit has broadened from REF 2021 to reflect the full research community.

Reference

Paragraphs 2.0.4. to 2.0.5., Section 2:  Submissions in the Guidance

Substantive link

Definition

A substantive link describes the relationship between an HEI and research, submitted in the form of an output. The HEI must have enabled the research leading to an output that is first made publicly available during the output eligibility period. A substantive link must be evidenced through an eligible employment relationship with an author (or equivalent) who has made a significant research contribution to the output.

Reference

Sub-section 6., Section 4: CKU guidance in the Guidance

Underpinning research

Definition

Impacts described in the impact case studies (ICS) must be based on underpinning research that meets the REF definition of research and be underpinned by research that was produced in the period from 1 January 2008 to 31December 2028.

Reference

Sub-section 3.1., Section 6: E&I guidance in the Guidance

Unit of Assessment (UoA)

Definition

Submissions in REF 2029 will be made in 34 discipline-based ‘units of assessment’. There is an expert sub-panel for each UoA.

Reference

Units of assessment on the REF website

Volume measure

Definition

The volume measure in REF 2029 ensures that the scale of an institution’s submission aligns with its research capacity. It will be used to determine the number of outputs and ICS required for each UoA submission, ensuring proportionality. Only ‘Research Only’ and ‘Teaching and Research’ contract types will contribute to the volume measure calculation.

Reference

Paragraph 2.0.2., Section 2 Submissions in the Guidance

Section 3: Volume Measure guidance in the Guidance

Data requirements

Data requirements	Reference
Details of research outputs	Sub-section 9. and sub-section 10., both in Section 4: CKU guidance in the Guidance
ICS	Paragraph 9.0.3. and sub-section 12., both in Section 6: E&I guidance in the Guidance
Quantitative data: Data on research doctoral and professional doctoral degrees awarded	Sub-section 4.1., Section 7: SPRE guidance in the Guidance
Quantitative data: Data on clinical academics	Sub-section 4.3., Section 7: SPRE guidance in the Guidance
Quantitative data: Data on research income	Sub-section 4.2., Section 7: SPRE guidance in the Guidance
Institutional-level SPRE statement (ILS) template	Sub-section 6 and sub-section 7, both in Section 7: SPRE guidance in the Guidance and the ILS template
Unit-level SPRE statement (ULS) template	Sub-section 8. and sub-section 9., both in Section 7: SPRE guidance in the Guidance and the ULS template