Tagged / kate welham

BU Professor to chair Sub-Panel for REF2029

Research assessment

Kate Welham, Professor of Archaeological Sciences at BU, has been appointed as chair of one of the 34 sub-panels that will assess research from universities across the country for the next Research Excellence Framework assessment in 2029.

The Research Excellence Framework (REF) is the UK’s system for assessing the excellence of research in UK higher education providers and is managed by Research England.

The outcomes from REF assessments are used to inform the allocation of around £2 billion per year of public funding for universities’ research.

Professor Welham will lead the assessment for Archaeology.

Her role as chair will involve appointing the other members of her sub-panel and developing the criteria they will use to assess submissions. She will then work with her panel on rigorous evaluating submissions against those criteria and providing advice to the main panels on the quality of research.

After her appointment was announced, Professor Welham said: “I’m honoured to be invited to serve as chair of the archaeology Sub-Panel for REF2029. This is a valuable opportunity to support our discipline and ensure that its excellence—wherever and however it is expressed—is recognised fairly and consistently.

“Archaeology in the UK is a wide-ranging and globally engaged field, and I look forward to drawing on my experience from REF2021 and the current PCE pilot to help foster a collaborative and transparent process that delivers a rigorous and trusted assessment.”

Professor Welham’s appointment was made by the four UK higher education funding bodies – Research England, Scottish Funding Council, the Commission for Tertiary Education and Research in Wales and the Department for the Economy in Northern Ireland – and the REF Main Panel Chairs.

REF Director Rebecca Fairbairn said: “I’m delighted to welcome this outstanding group to lead the REF 2029 sub-panels. Their deep expertise and broad perspectives will be central to building an assessment process that is fair, rigorous, and trusted by the research community.

“We have been working in partnership with the sector throughout this process, and I’m grateful to everyone who expressed interest – your engagement is what strengthens the credibility and value of the REF across our research landscape.”

BU Professors appointed to REF People, Culture and Environment (PCE) pilot panels

REF Subjects, Research assessment

Professor Kate Welham and Professor Vanora Hundley have been appointed as members of the Research Excellence Framework (REF) People, Culture and Environment (PCE) pilot panels.

REF 2029 logo

The next REF exercise, due to take place in 2029, will deliver an expanded definition of research excellence – recognising the wide range of research, roles, and people that are essential to the UK’s research system.

A key part of this is the development of the PCE element – assessing the research culture and environment of institutions and how research and researchers are supported.

The PCE pilot panels will explore the practicality of submission and assessment of the various elements of PCE.

In the pilot, a broad sample of 40 HEIs will produce submissions for assessment in a selection of REF Units of Assessment (UoAs). These submissions will be assessed by eight UoA-level pilot panels, with institutional-level submissions examined by a separate panel.

Professor of Midwifery Vanora Hundley, who will sit on the UoA 3 (Allied Health Professions, Dentistry, Nursing and Pharmacy) panel, said: “People, the research culture and the environment in which researchers work are vital to supporting excellent research.

“I am delighted that REF have made People, Culture and Environment (PCE) a focus for REF2029 and I look forward to working with the panel to develop robust processes to support the PCE element.”

Professor of Archaeological Sciences Kate Welham, who will sit on the pilot panel for UoA11 (Computer Science and Informatics) said: “This is a fantastic opportunity to contribute to the development of fair and transparent approaches that recognise how quality research is created across the UK. I am really looking forward to working with everyone taking part in the exercise.”

The experience and feedback of the panels will be included in the final pilot report, which will inform the REF 2029 guidance on PCE.

To find out more about the PCE pilot and REF 2029, please visit the REF website