Research Excellence Framework

Key recommendation of Stern review is adopted to help reduce workload for institutions

Landmark exhibition explained the significance of university research to the public

Phil Scraton on the role his work played in securing justice for the victims’ families and survivors of the 1989 disaster

Five top European academics offer advice on how to mentor, manage and expand a research team

Lengthy titles of journal papers are a turn-off for fellow academics and lead to fewer citations, claims new analysis 

More researchers are inventing fake peer reviewers to get their work published, analysis suggests

Critics fear focus on research impact in next funding programme could lead to a REF-type exercise

The proposal to end the portability of research outputs could penalise ECRs, writes Nick Wright

Welfare state expert Peter Taylor-Gooby cheerfully admits his research has had no real-world influence – but hopes a book might

Jonathan Grant and Alexandra Pollitt look at how discrete choice modelling might be able to work out what type of impact is most valued

Some see changes as making it more attractive to hire younger researchers – but there could be new opportunities to game the system

Kirsty Rolfe says the portability proposal does nothing to ease the fears and worries of young researchers struggling to start careers

Study finds evidence supporting fears over a pre-REF ’transfer market’ for star academics

Concerns that Lord Stern’s proposals for REF 2020 will adversely affect ECRs are misplaced, argues Dame Athene Donald

Chair of independent review of research excellence framework also hopes to tackle 'game-playing'

Investing more in research ‘must be central to our nation’s strategy’, writes Lord Stern on the day his review of the REF is published

Lord Stern's review of the research excellence framework was published today. This is how UK higher education is responding...

Landmark review of the research excellence framework also recommends that university where research is done should be able to reap rewards

The grouping of subjects such as neuroscience and psychiatry with cheaper disciplines will lead to what critics say is a failure to fairly fund mental health research

Senior academic from the university embroiled in the ‘Climategate’ scandal warns how open data can be used irresponsibly to damage science

But research leaders in the UK say their European counterparts are already freezing them out when it comes to applying for EU money

We talk to the psychology professor about diversity in higher education, academics’ civic engagement, and mindfulness

Academy of Social Sciences joins former Royal Society president in raising questions about UK Research and Innovation

But rector of Denmark’s top university rejected the exercise owing to ‘workload and expense’

Instead, researchers should aim for methodological ‘soundness’ rather than ‘flashy claims of superiority’

James Andrew Smith looks at the likely administrative costs of the teaching excellence framework in the light of the costs of the REF

Academics and policy advisers have given their verdict in a study exploring how the REF affects the day-to-day lives of scholars

Lord Stern should devise a research excellence framework that looks beyond past performance, says Giosuè Baggio

In chasing REF points, academics may risk their public standing and undermine work with potentially profound effects, argues Mark Reed

Lobbying intensifies ahead of Lord Stern's review of crucial assessment into university research performance

Amid all the events to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death, Peter J. Smith contemplates our appetite for everything – and anything – to do with the Bard

Many Italians have refused to take part in the country’s research assessment exercise. Alberto Baccini and Giuseppe De Nicolao consider the protest’s impact

Russell Group and University Alliance at loggerheads over whether next research excellence framework should assess more at university level

Debating the details of research assessment should not obscure wider debates around ethics and legitimacy, says Alis Oancea

In the first of a series of blogs based on the opening seminar of the Centre for Global Higher Education, Paul Ashwin takes a fresh look at a thorny concept

In giving short shrift to the production of modern interpretations, classicists consign their work to narrow academic circles, says Emma Gee

Scholars in the UK and Australia contemptuous of impact statements and often exaggerate them, study suggests

German academic looking at UK system raises concerns over incentives created by research excellence framework

Ministers must demonstrate that assessing ‘excellence’ does more good than harm, says Dorothy Bishop

Collaboration with Europe has grown dramatically since 2000, according to analysis

Future research excellence framework could incorporate information on the ‘future plans of institutions’

Despite claims that engagement with business is as important as research and teaching, academics find they have no time for work outside the academy

We must improve the system we already have, not make a switch to metrics, argues James Wilsdon

Phil Ashworth and John Lewin explain why the Environment Agency should be submitted to the REF

Another review of the exercise is a chance to revise details of the costs, says Jonathan Grant

Using the language of sport to sell metrics-based performance management ignores what sport can really teach academia, argues linguistics scholar Liz Morrish

Narrow science base could hurt ability to meet new challenges, report says

Institution’s US Centre seeks to promote multidisciplinary and international research on American policy

Performance targets to boost league table position are questioned as analysis shows little change in Russell Group REF order

Chair of review into research excellence framework also defends decision to have steering committee dominated by Russell Group

‘Minimum expectations’ for research income will be used as part of staff performance review

Baron Stern of Brentford has previously raised concerns that the research excellence framework forces academics to focus too much on publishing articles

Peer review is the least bad system we have for assessing quality, but metrics can help to determine attention and impact, says Euan Adie

Proposed Research UK would have similar powers to a v-c over university faculties

With no time for proper peer review and with grade inflation inevitable, one academic felt compelled to resign

Analysis of top-ranked groups also finds they have ‘accountable autonomy’ from the university

Green Paper recommends use of metrics, despite July report’s reservations

Much is to be decided on who will distribute research funding, but a metrics-based ‘mini-REF’ may raise eyebrows, says David Matthews

Some of the key points to take away from the government’s consultation on the future of universities

Success rates fall at five out of six councils amid warnings that the process could become ‘more of a lottery’ as reviewers are stretched