The Physiological Society welcomes the announcement from UK funding bodies on the future direction of the Research Excellence Framework (REF) through Research Excellence Framework 2028: initial decisions and issues for further consultation. The next REF will conclude in 2028 and will assess research and impact between 2021 and 2027.
In September 2021, The Society released its report looking at the future of REF as well as related factors such as the publishing landscape. The report, ‘The Future of Interdisciplinary Research Beyond REF 2021’, made recommendations on how the next REF can support an increase in the quantity of interdisciplinary research and address current barriers within the research ecosystem. This report informed The Society’s input into the Future Research Assessment Programme (FRAP), which reviewed how national research assessment is carried out in the UK.
Physiology is by nature an interdisciplinary science –understanding how fundamental processes work and interact with other systems in the body in good health to then understand how to respond to ill health.
Existential challenges to the planet such as climate change require creative and innovative solutions that draw on all the physical, life and social sciences. Beyond the climate emergency, interdisciplinary science is fundamentally important in other areas of research including better understanding and modulating the ageing process.
Andrew Mackenzie, The Physiological Society’s Associate Director of Strategy and External Relations said:
“The Physiological Society welcomes the funding bodies decision to adopt many of the recommendations in our 2021 report, including allowing relevant research to be submitted into multiple Units of Assessment. This recognises the breadth of the research teams in which they operate and the outputs generated from this collaborative working.
“Our 2021 report noted that the structure of previous REFs risked the deprioritisation of interdisciplinary research and that measures to assess such research were only partially successful, with interdisciplinary flags inconsistently applied by higher education institutions.
“It is encouraging to see that supporting interdisciplinary research, including research that does not follow traditional formats, is going to be a focus of REF 2028.
“We also welcome the commitment that REF 2028 will avoid a metrics-only approach to evidence and data, reflecting our concerns about the impact that could have on underrepresented groups in science.
“We also welcome the focus on using the REF to foster supportive, inclusive research environments with a broader view of what constitutes research excellence.
“We look forward to continuing to engage with future opportunities to shape the format and scope of REF 2028.”