The future of the REF: view from HEFCE Steven Hill Head of Research Policy British Academy of Management 27 April 2016

Summary UK research policy landscape Organisational structures Funding Research assessment Future REF – the Funding Body view

Summary UK research policy landscape Organisational structures Funding Research assessment Future REF – the Funding Body view

21 days in November 2015…

Organisational structures known uncertain The Dual Support system will remain New body – Research UK – to ‘work across’ the 7 research councils Innovate UK’s functions to be integrated within Research UK Future of HEFCE Status of existing research councils Body responsible for block grant funding in England Powers of R-UK CEO and Board Possible new ministerial committee overseeing R-UK

Funding known uncertain Resource budget (£4.7bn p.a.) protected in real terms until 2019/20… …but includes new Global Challenge Fund (£1.5bn over 5 years) Innovate UK budget maintained in cash terms (with some grants-to-loans swap) Capital expenditure of £6.9bn (2015-2021) Allocations to individual research councils and block grant funding in England Allocation to Research UK Full details of Global Challenge Fund

Green paper

Spending review

REF review call for evidence - questions Increased efficiency, broader impact definition, use of metrics? More institution level assessment? Use of outcomes by institutions? Use of outcomes by Funders and Government? Incentivising interdisciplinary work and collaboration? Negative unintended consequences; game-playing? Sustaining positive influences? Future planning of institutions and use of funding?

Research assessment known uncertain There will be another REF by 2021 REF2021 will involve peer review… …and include assessment of societal impact There will be a REF review, led by Lord Stern, reporting in summer 2016 Detail of the operation of REF2021 Intermediate exercise involving metrics?

Summary UK research policy landscape Organisational structures Funding Research assessment Future REF – the Funding Body view

REF: the evidence

“We propose an overall approach that is based upon the framework implemented in REF 2014, subject to refinements that may be made in the areas set out in this consultation, as informed by responses.”

Consultation issues Refinements to UOA structure Representativeness of panels/panel recruitment Staff selection and link to outputs Unique identifier (ORCID) Collaboration Interdisciplinary research

REF and interdisciplinarity: options Champions for interdisciplinarity on subpanels Distribution of staff/outputs across subpanels Mandatory use of interdisciplinary research flag Explicit coverage in Environment element

Consultation issues Refinements to UOA structure Representativeness of panels/panel recruitment Staff selection and link to outputs Unique identifier (ORCID) Collaboration Interdisciplinary research Additional metrics for outputs (where appropriate) Impact

Impact and future REF A detailed evaluation was conducted on this new element of the exercise, delivering a range of detailed insights and recommendations. Some of the key issues identified through evaluation activity: Rules and the representativeness of impacts (including ‘portability’) Burden and cost Impact template Ratio of case studies to staff submitted Challenges of and panel access to evidence Lack of granularity in scoring Continuing impact

Consultation issues Refinements to UOA structure Representativeness of panels/panel recruitment Staff selection and link to outputs Unique identifier (ORCID) Collaboration Interdisciplinary research Additional metrics for outputs (where appropriate) Impact Increased structure/quantitative data in Environment Weighting of Outputs, Impact and Environment Timetable (including more alignment of dates)

Summary UK research policy landscape Organisational structures Funding Research assessment Future REF – the Funding Body view

Thank you for listening s.hill@hefce.ac.uk @stevenhill