A festival for everyone involved in research

The Festival of Hidden REF

The Festival of Hidden REF takes place on 7 and 8 October 2025 at Thinktank, Birmingham Science Museum. The Festival brings together people who work with non-traditional outputs and in Hidden Roles with policymakers, publishers and others involved in research assessment. The Festival’s focus is on sharing knowledge about diverse outputs and Hidden Roles, collecting new ideas and the latest developments from attendees and, most importantly, celebrating everyone who contributes to research.

Registration is now open!

We have secured accommodation allocations via Meet Birmingham where you can also find travel information, things to do in Birmingham, places to eat and drink and the new Birmingham Visitor Pass!

Day 1 of the Hidden REF Festival will see participants directly shape the Hidden REF ‘Non-Traditional Output (NTO)’ Workshops ahead of their official launch in late-2025. Community co-creation is vital to the success of these workshops. To ensure fit with current community need, the sessions on this day will focus on piloting and gathering feedback on methods for evaluating diverse research outputs, as well as providing opportunities for attendees to act as ambassadors and promote NTO Workshops within their own institutions.

Day 2 of the Hidden REF Festival will focus on empowering change, building the community, and centering hidden roles in research. Practitioners, experts, and policy makers will share their perspectives on and mechanisms for rewarding and recognising diverse research outputs and careers. And alongside lightning talks, roundtables, and plenary talks, attendees will have the opportunity to help define what success should look like for the Hidden REF campaign in and beyond this REF cycle.  

You can find out more about our first festival over at the Hidden REF Festival 2023 page.

Indicative Schedule

Day 1: 7th October

Time 
1000-1030Arrival & Registration
1030-1100Welcome and Introduction to Day 1
1100-1230Assessing Diverse Outputs Workshop, Session 1
1230-1330Networking Lunch
1330-1530Assessing Diverse Outputs Workshop, Session 2
1530-1600Coffee Break & Group Photo
1600-1700Outcomes & Wrap Up
1900Dinner (optional)

Day 2: 8th October

Time 
1000-1010Arrival & Registration
1010-1030Welcome and Introduction to Day 2
1030-1145Lightning Talks
1145-1300Defining Success Workshop
1300-1400Networking Lunch
1400-1500Talks from Hidden REF Competition Winners
1500-1530Coffee Break & Group Photo
1530-1700Plenary Roundtable
1700-1715Wrap up, Thank Yous & Future Plans