The four UK funding bodies are consulting on the detailed arrangements for the next Research Excellence Framework (REF), as set out in the draft guidance and criteria. Universities Scotland has responded to this consultation to: flag our concerns that the approach to staff circumstances could have negative equality and diversity implications; highlight the challenging timeframes to develop and implement codes of practice; challenges to institutions using Category A submitted route around audit; and, concerns with using the REF to gather cost information about a specific Unit of Assessment.

Read our response here.