Today we have updated our People, Culture and Environment (PCE) pages with the guidance and template being used for the Pilot, and opportunities for the community to join events to discuss the Pilot further.
Developing PCE for REF 2029
The guidance published today has been developed as part of the work to develop PCE assessment for REF 2029. We are exploring this through two key projects:
- PCE Indicators Project: A project led by Technopolis and CRAC-Vitae, in collaboration with several sector organisations, has developed indicators for assessing PCE. The project team engaged extensively with the research community through workshops and a sector survey to co-develop a shortlist of indicators to be used to evidence and support institutions’ PCE submissions.
- PCE Pilot: The PCE Pilot is being delivered by the REF team to trial PCE assessment for REF 2029. A broad sample of HEIs are taking part in the Pilot by preparing submissions in a sample of REF Units of Assessment (UoAs) and at institution level. These submissions will draw on the indicators developed by the PCE Indicators Project and will be assessed by a group of pilot panels composed of experts in research assessment, and in PCE generally, within academia.
Pilot guidance
The guidance for the Pilot gives participating HEIs flexibility in how they approach their submissions, and flexibility to assessment panels in how they approach the assessment. The Pilot will help us to refine the approach and so any final template and guidance for PCE assessment in REF 2029 may vary significantly from the Pilot. As such, we do not recommend that these documents are used for decision making outside of the Pilot itself. The Pilot will produce recommendations that will be published in September 2025 and the final criteria and definitions for PCE in REF 2029 will be published winter 2025-26.
Enabling factors
The assessment framework for the pilot, developed by the PCE Indicators Project, has been structured around five factors which enable positive research culture. These are:
- Strategy
- Responsibility
- Connectivity
- Inclusivity
- Development
Within each of these enablers, the project identified a long list of possible indicators, and sources of quantitative and qualitative evidence, which could be used by HEIs to illustrate their approach to PCE. We’re testing these possible indicators across different disciplines and with different types of HEI. We may find that some indicators are more applicable at institution level whereas others work better at UoA level. Or we may find that some indicators are more applicable in different disciplines than others. The Pilot is a vehicle to narrow down this list to a focussed and robust set for use in REF 2029.
PCE and the wider REF
The Pilot will not examine statements on Contribution to Knowledge and Understanding (CKU) or Engagement and Impact (E&I). The pilot focuses on the newer elements of the PCE aspect of the REF. It does not include income, infrastructure and facilities (as previously assessed under REF environment) though these will continue to be an important part of submissions and details will be provided as part of the wider REF 2029 guidance.
Want to know more?
There’s still plenty to discuss in the development of PCE. Join us for a town hall meeting on 4 February to talk through the pilot guidance and to address any immediate questions. We will then hold regular drop-in forums where people can share ideas and concerns about the pilot template and guidance and work with us on an approach.
Read more about the development of the pilot in our recent blog.