BISA/PSA research directors' forum - Thinking beyond articles and books: diverse and non-traditional outputs in REF 2029

This BISA/PSA research directors' forum will focus on the theme of 'Thinking beyond articles and books: diverse and non-traditional outputs in REF 2029'.

REF 2029 recognises that excellent research takes many forms. Diverse outputs, including practice-based research, visual and creative works, digital outputs, policy briefs, datasets, and other non-traditional formats, can demonstrate originality, rigour, and significance just as effectively as conventional journal articles and monographs. Yet many colleagues remain uncertain about how such outputs could be assessed, how they might be scored, and how they could be strategically combined with more traditional outputs within a portfolio.

The Forum aims to foster discussion on this topic by addressing the following questions:

1. What kinds of outputs are colleagues currently producing that might be considered ‘non-traditional’ and that could potentially be submitted to REF 2029 in order to reflect the full range of outputs generated in the discipline? 

2. Are you aware of any ‘non-traditional’ outputs that were considered for submission to a previous REF? Were they submitted? Why or why not?

3. What can we learn from other disciplines/ other UoAs?

4. What are the evaluation and assessment challenges for ‘non-traditional’ outputs, and how should they be addressed?

5. What are the implications and challenges for institutions as they select and incentivise certain forms of output? What are the main obstacles for institutions to submit ‘non-traditional’ outputs and what could be done to encourage institutions to be more inclusive?”

Please note that this event is invite only.