What is the Hidden REF?
April 30, 2021Street youth recognised as hidden heroes of research
September 17, 2021Weirdly I quite like the REF – I like the fact that at its heart, despite the bureaucracy, it is a celebration of research, of the efforts and creativity of a multinational community across all corners of the UK HE sector. I like the focus that it brings to my work, and the galvanising effect upon individuals and teams to come together and work in this shared endeavour. I’m less keen on the minutiae of the guidance, of the technical whys, wherefores and whats. Of the angst over a piece of guidance that suggests flexibility, but is too scarily broad to enable anyone but the most bold to step outside of the conventional ways of presenting research. I’m not too keen on the way that an administrative exercise can distract us from the thing itself i.e. creative, rigorous investigation that makes a difference in our communities and beyond.
Read the article on the University of Portsmouth website.
