Lord Stern calls for broader definition of research impact in REF review
Lord Stern’s review into the Research Excellence Framework (REF), the process for assessing the quality and impact of university research, has been published.
The review sets out proposals including:
- the inclusion of all research active staff in the REF
- tying outputs to the departments they were performed in.
- widening the notion of research 'impact' to include influence on public engagement, culture and teaching
- encouraging institutional level assessments to reward in-house interdisciplinary working
- a recommendation that panels continue to assess institutions on the basis of peer review, with metrics being used transparently to support panel members in their assessment.
Our Chief Executive, Robert Parker, said in response:
“We welcome the result of Lord Stern’s review. These recommendations will help ensure our science base retains its world leading strength.
“The use of metrics in this manner preserves and emphasises the value of peer review, whilst still providing panels with supporting information to guide their discussions. We’re also pleased that Stern has recognised the value of impact case studies by recommending they maintain their importance in the assessment, and has suggested ways to broaden the definition of impact further.
“We particularly welcome the recommendation to reward the impact of interdisciplinary and collaborative research directly.
“Finally, the recommendations should not cause an undue burden on universities in implementing the assessment in future, since the broad structure of the REF remains largely unchanged.”
“We look forward to hearing how these recommendations will be implemented within Research England and UKRI, as the HE & Research Bill passes through Parliament.”
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