The Research Excellence Framework (REF) is the UK’s system for assessing the excellence of research in UK higher education providers (HEIs). The REF outcomes are used to inform the allocation of around £2 billion per year of public funding for universities’ research.

The REF 2029 People, Culture and Environment is a pilot exercise announced in January 2024, which aims to explore and assess the practicality of submissions across different research areas, and how they align with key PCE indicators. This assessment is carried out by panels which span key research areas. Each panel has two co-chairs and a range of members, who are leading researchers in their areas, from universities across the UK.

Professor Karen Sayer has been announced as a member of the History panel. Professor Sayer is a researcher in the Leeds Centre for Victorian Studies, a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, Chair of the British Agricultural History Society and a British representative to the European Rural History Organisation. Her research focus is on the conceptualisations of rural communities, human and animal relations in agricultural work and on the farm and labour in field, farm and home.

Professor Steve Johnson was announced as a member of the Business and Management Studies panel. Professor Johnson is a Board member of the Institute for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (ISBE) and a member of the Research Committee of the Chartered Association of Business Schools (CABS). His research interests focus on the economic and social role of entrepreneurship and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and the effectiveness of public policies towards entrepreneurship, employment, skills and economic development.

Professor Karen Sayer said: “I am delighted to be able to support this really important step in the development of the guidance for the new REF 2029 People, Culture and Environment exercise. It’s especially good to see Leeds Trinity represented.

“Researchers in GuildHE institutions like ours, which champion diversity in the higher education sector, make a very real contribution to the UK’s research impact. Involving institutions at different scales is crucial to developing a REF exercise that recognises the richness of all forms of research and disciplines and how people, culture and environment are represented in different fields.”

Professor Steve Johnson said: “I have long been an advocate of the need for research culture to be considered in research assessment exercises, alongside outputs and impacts. I am pleased that People, Culture and Environment (PCE) will be included in the next REF and I’m delighted to have the opportunity to contribute to the pilot exercise.

“This is an important step towards ensuring that the indicators used in the REF 2029 reflect the circumstances of a diverse range of disciplines and institutions, including small universities such as Leeds Trinity University.”

Professor Alex Nunn, Dean of Research at Leeds Trinity University, said: “Congratulations to Karen and Steve on this prestigious announcement. They are both a key part of our research excellence at Leeds Trinity University and their expertise and vast experience in their respective fields will be an important contribution to REF 2029’s People, Culture and Environment project.”

To find out more about research at Leeds Trinity University, visit the website.