(Bonus) Celebrating Research Diversity: The Hidden REF's Bid to Recognise Non-traditional Outputs

Research Culture Uncovered

In our fortnightly Research Culture Uncovered conversations we are asking what is Research Culture and why does it matter? In this bonus episode, Ged Hall, Academic Development Consultant for Research Impact, chats to Dr Gemma Derrick about research evaluation and the Hidden REF.

Gemma is an Associate Professor in University of Bristol. Her research interests include researcher behaviour, academic practice, research evaluation, societal impact, the research workforce and its governance (e.g. peer review systems), and the politics and dynamics of knowledge production and translation. She has investigated the effects of national audit frameworks, such as the Research Excellence Framework (REF) and others, to demonstrate their strengths and weaknesses in relation to their stated aims. 

She is also a member of the organising committee of the Hidden REF ‘that is fighting for a more effective and fairer system of evaluating success in research.’

Here are three key takeaways from the episode:

1. Hidden REF: Driven by a passion for celebrating the full spectrum of research contributions, the Hidden REF movement has grown from its first exercise, in 2021, to a full-blown festival that happened on 21st September 2023. Its aim is to acknowledge the essential contributors to vibrant research culture who may not fit traditional evaluation criteria. The next Hidden REF exercise is in 2024.
2. Beyond REF: While the REF is changing for 2028, it will always have limitations. Many valuable research outputs that make the field rich and diverse have gone unnoticed. The Hidden REF promotes a celebration-based approach to research culture, ensuring that nobody is left behind, hidden or undervalued.
3. Changing the Landscape: The Hidden REF is calling for change and aims to build sector confidence in evaluating non-traditional outputs fairly and transparently. By encouraging institutions to sign up to its manifesto for non-traditional outputs making up at least 5% of their submissions, we will strengthen our research culture by recognising everyone who contributes.

To get involved in the Hidden REF:

1. Follow it on X (formerly Twitter) @HiddenRef
2. Subscribe to its mailing list on its Contacts page
3. Or [e-mail]
4. Submit to its next exercise in 2024

You can also get in touch with Gemma via @GemmaDerrick and connect with her on LinkedIn.

Other members of the Hidden REF organising committee were interviewed in this episode on the code4thought podcast.

All of our episodes can be accessed via the following playlists:

• Research Impact with Ged Hall (follow Ged on Twitter and LinkedIn)
• Open Research with Nick Sheppard (follow Nick on Twitter and LinkedIn)
• Research Careers with Ruth Winden (follow Ruth on Twitter and LinkedIn)
• Research talent management with Tony Bromley (follow Tony on Twitter and LinkedIn)
• Meet the Research Culturositists with Emma Spary (follow Emma on Twitter and LinkedIn)
• Research co-production

Follow us on twitter: @ResDevLeeds (new episodes are announced here), @OpenResLeeds, @ResCultureLeeds

Connect to us on LinkedIn: @ResearchUncoveredPodcast (new episodes are announced here)

Leeds Research Culture links:

• Researcher Development and Culture Website
• Our Concordat Implemention plans and progress
• University of Leeds Research Culture Statement
• University of Leeds Responsible Metrics Statement
• University of Leeds Open Research Statement
• University of Leeds Research Culture Strategy - launched September 2023

If you would like to contribute to a podcast episode get in touch: [e-mail]