On 10 December 2025, the pause on REF 2029 was lifted, with key decisions and changes to the exercise published following significant engagement with the sector, including with GuildHE Research and our members.

The decisions aim to strike a balance between maintaining the robustness of the exercise to effectively measure research excellence while minimising burden. Recognition and support of the diversity of research across the sector has also been central to the decisions. 

Key decisions include:

  • A shift from ‘People, Culture and Environment’ to ‘Strategy, People and Research Environment’, with related changes to the weightings of the three elements of REF 2029.
  • Measures to reduce burden for institutions and simplify the exercise and guidance. This includes consistency with initial decisions as well as decisions on disciplinary statements, representativeness and engagement and impact.
  • Measures that build in greater flexibility to the exercise for different types of institutions and disciplines, including decisions on portability and selective submissions.
  • The decision not to pursue options for a multi-track route through REF.
  • The decision not to formally consult on the guidance and Panel Criteria and Working Methods.
  • Returning to REF 2021 templates as a basis for REF 2029 cycle across the three elements of the REF, while incorporating learnings from policy deepdives, engagement with the sector and the pilot. This aims to provide clarity, simplification and familiarity for institutions.
  • Maintaining the use of HESA data records.

The decisions arrived at present a good compromise which has balanced a diversity of opinions and viewpoints from the sector, funders and government. GuildHE has been successful in advocating on behalf of our members and the emphasis given to the importance of the diversity of the sector in the communications around REF 2029 is testament to the effectiveness of our work. Our advocacy has stimulated some more detailed thinking amongst the funders to devise other mechanisms that will support smaller submissions to participate in REF. We welcome this and appreciate the time our members have taken to provide the key insights to help this come about.

GuildHE welcomes the latest REF announcements. We are particularly pleased to see proposals that reflect the interests of a wide range of institutions. We strongly argued against a multi-track REF and for other ways of simplifying the exercise to reduce disproportionate burden on smaller-scale institutions. It is imperative to build an exercise fit for a wide range of institutions, not just research-intensive universities. GuildHE will therefore endeavour to work closely with the funders and panels in the next phase to develop guidance and criteria that suits a broad range of research disciplines and institutional contexts.

Brooke Storer-Church, CEO, and Rachel Persad, Head of Research Policy

We are grateful to our REF colleagues for consulting in a manner that genuinely recognises UK HE’s diversity and for listening and responding positively to GuildHE Research’s grave concerns during the pause.  We are pleased that there will be no further consideration of a multi-track REF and that the weightings between its different elements have been revised to better capture the impressive potential for smaller, specialist, and regionally-focussed institutions to deliver excellent outputs and impact without substantial and expensive supporting infrastructure. The clear, pragmatic, and sector-responsive decisions on REF 2029 communicated today strongly support the claim that REF is a framework developed with and for the sector – the whole sector.

Professor Emile Bojesen, Director of GuildHE Research

GuildHE have had excellent engagement with the funders of REF 2029, particularly throughout this period of uncertainty, and they have been consistently responsive and considerate of our views. The funders have been clear that they are aware of the need to ensure that the viewpoints of the full diversity of institutions are heard and we are ready to continue this positive relationship to support our members as further decisions are made.