University of Brighton submission to REF2029

The Research Excellence Framework (REF) is the UK’s system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions. The next REF exercise will be in 2029, with results published in December 2029.

How is REF 2029 being assessed?

Submissions to the REF are made in 34 Units of Assessment, (UoAs). For REF 2029, there are four main panels and 34 sub-panels, one for each UoA.

The REF main panels are:

  • Main panel A: Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
  • Main panel B: Physical Sciences, Engineering and Mathematics
  • Main panel C: Social Sciences
  • Main panel D: Arts and Humanities

REF 2029 will aim to break the link between the individual and the submission. To do this, institutions will not submit staff but be given a volume measure for each UoA taken from HESA submissions. Outputs will not be attributed to individuals. The submission will assess three elements of research activity:

  • Contribution to Knowledge and Understanding (CKU)
  • Engagement and impact
  • Strategy, People and the Research Environment (SPRE)

Our preparations for REF 2029 are guided by principles of transparency, consistency, accountability, inclusivity and responsible research assessment. University of Brighton colleagues can visit our SharePoint site to see further information.

Code of Practice (CoP)

A key part of preparations for REF 2029 is the development of a Code of Practice (CoP) which acts as the framework of principles and practices for managing the REF at the University of Brighton. The CoP outlines the University of Brighton's principles and processes relating to:

  • how employment contracts will be identified for inclusion in the volume measure
  • how employment contracts will be allocated to Units of Assessment (UoAs)
  • how outputs will be selected for inclusion in the submission.

Following internal consultation and review from Research England, the University of Brighton CoP has been approved. For more information, please read the University of Brighton Code of Practice.

Units of Assessment

The University of Brighton is currently preparing submissions to the following Units of Assessment:

  • A3 Allied Health Professions, Dentistry, Midwifery, Nursing and Pharmacy
  • B11 Computer Science and Informatics 
  • B12 Engineering 
  • C14 Geography and Environmental Studies
  • C17 Business and Management Studies 
  • C21 Sociology 
  • D32 Art and Design: History, Practice and Theory 
  • D34 Communication, Cultural and Media Studies, Library, and Information Management 

Open Access and REF 2029

The REF 2029 Open Access Policy continues the commitment to making publicly funded research widely accessible. The policy applies specifically to journal articles and conference proceedings published from 1 January 2026, which should be Open Access to be eligible for REF submission.

The University of Brighton has joined a growing number of universities that have adopted an Institutional Rights Retention Policy to enable authors to comply with the new requirements. Please note that open access monographs are not a REF 2029 requirement.