I recently graphically recorded a conference on the Research Excellence Framework (REF) in psychology, hosted by Kingston University, Chief Executive of REF Consulting, Professor Ian Kitchen was one of the keynotes, and his presentation provided valuable insights into the assessment and scoring of research outputs, particularly focusing on achieving 3 and 4-star ratings in the REF. The REF is a crucial evaluation process in the UK's higher education sector, designed to allocate research funding based on the quality and impact of research conducted by universities and institutions.
Professor Kitchen emphasised that quality surpasses quantity when aiming for 4-star ratings, emphasising the importance of producing research of the highest caliber. Additionally, he highlighted the significance of demonstrating real-world impact in the REF assessment, as well as the rigorous peer-review process involved. Moreover, he stressed the importance of consistency in research quality across all areas and departments within institutions.
There were also great talks on the research environment and how to convey ideas by Professor Penny Green, Law based research talks from Professor Michelle Farrell and many more great speakers over the course of two days. See below for the a sample of one of the visual maps.
