📢 Join us for the first Hidden REF Community Call Shaping a Healthy Research Culture: Your Experiences, Our Future Tuesday 27th January 2026, 11:00-12:00 GMT 📅 Add it directly to your calendar: evt.to/ehoudogmw Full details: hidden-ref.org/resources/co...

Breaking News! The Pause is Over! What the REF is happening now?! Simon and Ola are live at the 2025 Research & Innovation Conference, hearing Professor Dame Jessica Corner outline how REF2029 is moving forward - and we’ve got immediate reactions. 🎤 www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lYO...

During the Festival of Hidden REF, we spoke to some of our attendees to find out how they think research culture in UK higher education can be improved. Take a look and let us know what you would like to change! www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJCu...

We are delighted to be media partners for this year's Hidden REF Festival (@hiddenref.bsky.social)! First report from Birmingham👇

Great day 1 at the Hidden REF Festival 2025. Really friendly vibe, and really interesting discussions about non-traditional research outputs. @hiddenref.bsky.social Write-up: www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...

@hiddenref.bsky.social get ready for the Lightning Talks…

@hiddenref.bsky.social Arianna Ciula, Kings College London, on how to assess Digital Outputs in the Digital Humanities…

@hiddenref.bsky.social A workplace needs to be somewhere where you don’t need to choose between authenticity and success…

@hiddenref.bsky.social Why Technicians Belong at the Design Table…

@hiddenref.bsky.social Methods are a foundational - but oft unappreciated - research output…

@hiddenref.bsky.social #FestivalHiddenREF today - lightning talks already proving quite impactful

@hiddenref.bsky.social Understanding the diverse forms of research output at University of Sheffield…

@hiddenref.bsky.social Can the established culture of the academy and usual disciplinary approaches enable new ways of knowing? Championing different methods of creating knowledge in HE….

@hiddenref.bsky.social Developing Evidence-informed Output Narratives using INORMS’ SCOPE Framework…

@hiddenref.bsky.social celebrating Hidden Ref 2024 Winners: Laura Henderson, Hidden Role Winner

@hiddenref.bsky.social Closing Panel session chaired by James Baker: Rewarding research excellence, recognising research careers, perspectives on evaluating diverse outputs

@hiddenref.bsky.social James Baker and Simon Hettrick with reflections and what’s next following a fantastic two days here in Birmingham

Here’s a write-up that includes my lightning talk and reflections on why technicians must be recognised in the REF: 🔗 www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r... Hope to work with others to get methods formally recognised as reportable research outputs in a category of their own.

Risk-averse universities “hindering REF performance” by ignoring non-traditional research. Institutions should “pull their socks up”, @nataliejessic10.bsky.social tells the 2025 Hidden REF Festival (@hiddenref.bsky.social). Free to read: www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...

Exciting to see @nataliejessic10.bsky.social discussing the University of Liverpool's approach to Diverse Research Outputs at the #HiddenREFfestival 🍎🍊

Excellent address by the Uni of Liverpool's Natalie Wallis at #HiddenREF festival (@hiddenref.bsky.social). Report to follow. In the meantime, here's something Wallis wrote for @resprofnews.bsky.social recently on non-traditional research outputs: www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-v...

It was wonderful opening up the 2025 Hidden REF Festival this morning, talking about the work we are doing at Liverpool to support diverse research outputs💡. Thank you to the Hidden REF team for the invitation #REF @hiddenref.bsky.social @liverpooluni.bsky.social @livuniresearch.bsky.social

Next, Gemma Derrick on how Heuristics can be used to judge what is a quality research output @gemmaderrick.bsky.social errick.bsky.social

After the intro from @jwbaker.bsky.social @hiddenref.bsky.social #HiddenREF we have Liverpool DOTs with Natalie Wallis… and so DOTs that is Diverse Output Types… so another name for Non Traditional Outputs… Liverpool have a team to support and promote their development!

First talk is from Natalie Wallis from the University of Liverpool about Diverse Research Outputs and the fear of changing research culture @nataliejessic10.bsky.social

Excited to be at day 1 of the Hidden REF festival (@hiddenref.bsky.social). Fair to say it's an interesting time for research assessment. #hiddenref

Thank you to all our generous Sponsors, Research England, and everyone who is joining the fully-booked out Festival of Hidden REF over the next two days! Looking forward to all the discussions!

We're getting ready to welcome everyone to the Festival of Hidden REF at the Think Tank in Birmingham! Very excited to learn about all the interesting work people are doing and meet them in-person!

Listening to #WhatTheRef podcast on the train en route to Birmingham for The Festival of Hidden Ref tomorrow and Weds, perfect listening material, thanks @hiddenref.bsky.social, I'm giving a lightning talk on Thurs - very much looking forward to this event :)

The Festival of Hidden REF starts one week from today 🎉 You can still grab tickets to watch remotely on Day 2: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-festiv...

🎙️ Podcast episode 7 is out now What the REF is wrong with “culture”? Listen to What the REF?! via our website, on Youtube or wherever you usually find your podcasts www.youtube.com/watch?v=u47-... Have a question about REF you'd like answered? 👉 [email protected]

💻 Remote tickets now available for Day 2 of The Festival of Hidden REF! Couldn’t make it in person? Don’t miss out - join us online! Q&As will be run through Slido, giving all participants the same opportunity to get their questions answered www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-festiv...

🎙️ Podcast episode 6 is out now WTreF does a pause mean?! Listen to What the REF?! via our website, on Youtube or wherever you usually find your podcasts www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzwP... Have a question about REF you'd like answered? 👉 [email protected]

We are planning our future episodes for the What the REF?! podcast and need your questions! If there’s something about the REF that confuses, intrigues, or frustrates you, send it our way 👉 [email protected] Need some inspiration? Catch up on past episodes here: hidden-ref.org/what-the-ref/

🎙️ Podcast episode 5 is out now What the REF are we doing with NTOs?! Listen to What the REF?! via our website, on Youtube or wherever you usually find your podcasts www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6u9... Have a question about REF you'd like answered? 👉 [email protected]

🎉 Day 1 of the Festival is officially sold out! 🎉 We do have a waitlist you can join if tickets become available 💡 Higher capacity for Day 2 - tickets are still available. 📅 Want to know what’s happening on both days and grab your ticket? Head over to our website: hidden-ref.org/the-festival...

Another powerful piece in Research Professional News, by Simon Kerridge, highlighting how the current REF 2029 proposals could unintentionally discourage vital contributions from researchers working outside traditional academic roles. Read here 👉 www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-v...

New article in Research Professional News: "Vague rules will not dispel the REF’s climate of caution" Inclusive assessment needs stronger backing, say Gemma Derrick, Elizabeth Gadd, Simon Hettrick and James Baker. Read the full article 👉 www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-v...

🎙️ Podcast episode 4 is out now What the REF is happening with the CKU?! Listen to What the REF?! via our website, on Youtube or wherever you usually find your podcasts. www.youtube.com/watch?v=U97E... Have a question about REF you'd like answered? 👉 [email protected]

🎙️ Podcast episode 3 is out now What the REF are our research incentives? Listen to What the REF?! via our website, on YouTube or wherever you usually find your podcasts. www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHRQ... Have a question about REF you'd like answered? 👉 [email protected]

There's only a small number of tickets left for the Festival of Hidden REF so if you are hoping to join us - be quick! hidden-ref.org/the-festival...

🎙️ Podcast episode 2 is out now What the REF should we call these outputs?! Listen to What the REF?! via our website hidden-ref.org/what-the-ref/, on YouTube or wherever you usually find your podcasts. Have a question about REF you'd like answered? 👉 [email protected]

Congratulations again to Sarjhana Brindha, winner of the Applications of research panel in the 2024 Hidden REF Competition. Her work with the myHealthE portal stood out for its impact and innovation. Learn more about her achievement in the full story below.: lnkd.in/euWPGCG8

Delighted to announce 'ConveRSE' - the new online hub for #MentalHealth information, resources and support for people in the research software community - at @softwaresaved.bsky.social #CollabW25. More details and opportunities to contribute to follow in the coming weeks.

🎙️ We've started a podcast! We're excited to launch What the REF?!, the very first podcast from Hidden REF, where we attempt to demystify everyone's favourite national research assessment exercise. hidden-ref.org/what-the-ref/ Have a question about REF you'd like answered? 👉 [email protected]

📢 Registration is now open 📢 Join us on 7-8 October 2025 at Thinktank, Birmingham Science Museum for the second Festival of Hidden REF! Explore the indicative schedule, learn more on our website or head straight to the registration page to secure your place! www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-festiv...

We are excited to announce CoSeC joining us as an official Hidden REF supporter! Learn more about our collaboration and read a quote from Dr. Stephen Longshaw, Director of CoSeC, in their recent news item: www.cosec.ac.uk/impact/cosec...