In REF 2028 the environment element from REF2021 will be expanded to include ‘People,
Culture and Environment’ (PCE) and will contribute 25% of the overall quality profile. This element will be assessed using a questionnaire-style template at both institution and disciplinary level.
A series of workshops, consultations and sector discussions on PCE took place between January and October 2024 and a PCE pilot exercise is currently underway across 40 UK institutions to test the process for assessment in REF 2029. More information on the pilot exercise can be found on this blog post. Guidance on the PCE pilot exercise will be made available to all UK institutions in January 2025. The pilot submission exercise will run until February 2025, with an assessment phase taking place between March and June 2025.
REF will reflect on the outcomes of the PCE pilot during 2025 and the criteria and definitions for the People, Culture and Environment element are expected to be published in Winter 2025.