Timetable

Last updated: 10 December 2025

This timetable represents the current project plan and it will be updated as the exercise progresses. It should be used as the most up-to-date information on the REF 2029 schedule. We will notify the sector when there are changes to the schedule.  

2023 Summer

• Policy module 1 – REF 2029 Initial Decisions
  • REF purposes 
  • REF guiding principles & priorities 
  • Foundational policy decisions 
• Consultation on initial decisions

2023 Winter

• People, Culture and Environment (PCE) round tables and opportunity to provide written feedback on concerns and suggested solutions for the PCE element of REF
• People, Culture and Environment (PCE) indicators project begins
• Policy module 2 – Initial Decisions next steps
  • Extension announced
  • Confirmation of initial decisions policy decisions and areas for further development
• REF website launched
• User research on REF 2021 systems and processes

2024 Spring

• Open Access consultation
• Advisory panel recruitment
• People, Culture and Environment (PCE) pilot
  • Pilot HEI recruitment
  • Pilot panel recruitment
• Policy module 3 – Spring release
  • Timetable update with policy schedule
  • HESA data policy decisions and engagement opportunity
  • Initial decisions consultation analysis

2024 Summer

• Expert Panels recruitment begins
• People, Culture and Environment (PCE) indicator workshops
• Introduce web-based policy approach

2024 to 2025 Autumn / Winter

• Policy modules
  • Open Access Policy
  • Volume Measure guidance and associated Codes of Practice guidance

2025 Summer

• Contributions to Knowledge and Understanding guidance and associated Code of Practice guidance published
• Full panel membership announced

2025 Autumn

• REF paused

2025 Winter

• Weightings confirmed for REF 2029 
• People, Culture and Environment (PCE) Pilot Report published 
• People, Culture and Environment (PCE) Indicators Report published, including community engagement and feedback 
• Strategy, People and Research Environment guidance published
• Engagement and Impact guidance published
• Updates to Contribution to Knowledge and Understanding guidance

2026 Winter/Spring/Summer

• Onboarding of sub-panels  
• Expert panels meet to develop guidance

2026 Autumn

• Final Guidance on Submissions and Panel Criteria and Working Methods published  

2026 to 2027 Winter

• Special requests process launched

• Publication of anonymised REF 2029 Steering Group and Panel meetings minutes and papers covering January 2023 to September 2026 (planned for December 2026) 

2027 Spring

• Survey of submission intentions opens

2027 Summer

• Survey of submission intentions closes 
• Special requests closes

2027 Autumn

• Additional recruitment for assessment phase panels 
• Submission window opens 

2028 Autumn

• Submission deadline
• Assessment phase begins

2029

• Publication of results (planned for December 2029)

2030

• Publication of submitted data 
• Publication of REF 2029 reports, including REF 2029 Steering Group and Panel meetings minutes and papers covering October 2026 to December 2029 (planned for March 2030)