REF Code of Practice

Every submitting University is required to develop, document and apply their own Code of Practice (CoP) on selecting staff to include in the REF submission and to handle individual staff circumstances. The CoP will be submitted to and formally approved by HEFCE, and the Vice Chancellor will be required to confirm adherence to the code.

Keele’s REF CoP has been drafted carefully following the detailed requirements received from HEFCE and the Equality Challenge Unit.  It has been discussed in detail at University Executive Committee and Research Committee, along with UCU representatives, and was approved at Senate on 30th November 2011. HEFCE approved Keele University's Code of Practice in September 2012.

The information that you provide is protected under the Data Protection Act 1998 and will be seen by Human Resources and the relevant Unit of Assessment (UoA) submission group, who will observe confidentiality. The information will be stored securely.

As a key measure to support equality and diversity in research careers, in all REF Units of Assessment individuals may be returned with fewer than four research outputs, without penalty in the assessment, where their circumstances have significantly constrained their ability to produce four outputs or to work productively throughout the assessment period (1st January 2008 to 31st October 2013).  This measure is intending to encourage institutions to submit all their eligible staff who have produced excellent research.

To ensure that REF processes are fair, the University is collecting data on individual staff circumstances from all staff eligible for submission. The data will be used to identify which staff are eligible for submission with fewer than four outputs.  Each Research Institute (RI) member is therefore asked to voluntarily provide details of any applicable circumstances as follows:

Individual circumstances can be clearly defined which includes;

  • early career researcher status (i.e. started career as an independent researcher on or after 1st August 2009)
  • absence from work due to part-time working, career breaks or secondments
  • periods of maternity, additional paternity or adoption leave
  • other circumstances that apply to UoA 1-6

Individual circumstances can also be complex, which includes;

  • disability
  • ill health or injury
  • mental health conditions
  • constraints relating to pregnancy, maternity, paternity, adoption or childcare
  • other caring responsibilities
  • gender reassignment
  •  Other circumstances

Full details, including the definition of individual circumstances and how clearly defined circumstances will be treated, can be found in annex C of the CoP.

What action should you take?

If you don’t have any individual circumstances to report please report this by email as a ‘no-return’ to ref2014@keele.ac.uk by 30th April 2012.

All RI members with individual staff circumstances, are encouraged to complete the attached Individual Circumstances Form,. The form should be returned by e-mail to ref2014@keele.ac.uk by 30th April 2012.

If further information is required about any circumstances disclosed, you will be contacted by Human Resources.

Who will see the information that you provide?
 
Information provided on the form may be shared externally for the purposes of evidencing any reduction in the number of research outputs.

For circumstances with a clearly defined reduction in outputs, information will be seen by the relevant REF sub-panel, the REF panel secretariat and the UK funding bodies’ REF team.

For more complex circumstances, information will be seen only by the REF Equality and Diversity Advisory Panel, the REF Main Panel Chairs and the UK funding bodies’ REF team.

Further advice and information

For further advice and information related to any aspect of the REF process please contact Ellie James, Research Planning and Project Manager, ext: 33569; E-mail: e.james@vco.keele.ac.uk

For further advice and information related to your Individual Circumstances or the Individual Circumstances Form please contact the Human Resources team:

Bal Everitt, Equalities & Workforce Planning Manager, ext: 33807; E-mail: b.everitt@keele.ac.uk
Jane Rushton, HR Manager, ext: 34405; E-mail: j.rushton@keele.ac.uk
Natalie Simpson, HR Manager, ext 34013; E-mail: n.c.simpson@keele.ac.uk