REF2021 will be the second Research Excellence Framework assessment, having replaced the previous Research Assessment Exercise (RAE).
The REF is the UK’s primary system for assessing the quality of research in UK universities and higher education colleges and is undertaken by the four UK higher education funding bodies: the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), the Scottish Funding Council (SFC), the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW), and the Department for the Economy, Northern Ireland (DfE).
Research submitted to the REF is assessed under 4 main panels, covering 34 Units of Assessment (UoAs) and a number of expert sub-panels:
- 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
Professor Campbell has been appointed to sub-panel A2, Public Health, Health Services and Primary Care, and will be involved in the criteria setting phase of REF2021 taking place this year (2018) ahead of the main assessment phase due to take place in 2020-2021.