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REF2021 Feedback

The REF2021 period lasted for seven years, resulting in contributions from many people and processes that fed into the submission. Now that the main submission deadline has passed (March 2021), we would like to capture feedback on your experience of REF2021, whether your involvement was for the whole period, a short time or even unknown.

You may have been deeply immersed in REF responsibilities, or are not sure if you contributed to it at all – either way we would like to gauge what you thought of REF2021 and how we could improve engagement for REF2027/8 (year tbc!).

Your feedback will help inform how we plan for the next REF (the cycle has already begun!), ensuring we utilise and build on good practices now and overcome past challenges.

Please feel free to suggest improvements or ideas to make the REF process easier and the submission stronger.

Please see the various options below for you to share your feedback:

  • All-staff survey - this is for any member of staff with any degree of knowledge/involvement in REF. This survey is open until the end of May 2021.

An alternative in-depth survey (for DoRs, HoDs, ADRs, RS/DC/IIB Business Partners) and an alternative impact-focussed survey (for DoIs, ICS authors, IIB colleagues) will be sent directly to staff with decision-making responsibilities. DoRs have been invited to submit either a personal reflection and/or a submission on behalf of the department.

Please note, all surveys are optional and allow free text answers, so please respond via the most efficient method for you. Only one survey should be completed unless staff feel that the different surveys and targeted questions will help focus their feedback (e.g. if you had responsibilities spanning across both impact and other areas).

  • Email – please contact the REF team here if you would prefer to send any feedback via email.
  • Drop-in days – two drop-in days will be hosted in May/June for DoRs, ADRs, HoDs and DoIs. Details will be sent directly to these members of staff should they wish to provide feedback via this method.

  • Feedback sessions – Feedback sessions will be held for specific professional and technical services staff. Invitations will be sent directly by the end of May 2021. If you feel that your group or department would benefit from a feedback session with a member of the REF team, please let us know here.