Research Excellence Framework (REF)

Background information

The UK funding bodies periodically assess the quality and volume of research activity in the higher education institutions that they fund.  They do this through the Research Excellence Framework, to be published in 2014 (formerly known as the Research Assesment Exercise, wihich was published in 2008). The REF provides a way for the UK funding bodies to distribute funds for research selectively on the basis of quality, and funding bodies use both the quality ratings from the REFand the quantitative data provided by institutions to the REF for this purpose. 

Results of the 2008 RAE

The University's results are available here, and powerpoint slides summarising some key highlights can also be downloaded.  You can find full results of RAE 2008, and of past exercises here. 

RAE information for staff involved in the University's recent RAE submission is available here.  

Information on how the Scottish Funding Council uses RAE results to allocate its Main Quality Research Grant is provided in its Main Grant Letter.

The future of research assessment

Information on the UK funding councils plans for the future of research assessment is available here.