By Hannah Coombs, Department of Research and Innovation
The Hidden REF is a Research England-funded initiative that champions the recognition and evaluation of non-traditional outputs (NTOs) and hidden roles in research. NTOs are categorised following the REF output types, including all types other than (parts of) books, journals, and conference proceedings. This means everything from software and datasets to performances, artefacts, and reports, which are vital contributions to the research landscape but often overlooked in formal assessments. Hidden roles encompass everyone without whom research couldn鈥檛 happen, from technicians and research software engineers to professional service personnel and lived experience contributors.
In REF2021, 97% of outputs submitted nationally were traditional publications, with NTOs making up just 2.6%. At the 黑料正能量, only 2.2% of our outputs were non-traditional, falling slightly below the national average. Notably, 29 of our 31 NTOs were submitted in REF Main Panel D (Arts and Humanities), despite the presence of NTOs across all disciplines.
The Hidden REF seeks to address this imbalance, with its proposing a target of 5% of submitted REF outputs being non-traditional types. Through its Hidden REF Competition, it invites submissions across five categories: Applications of Research, Communicative Outputs, Contexts, Practices, and Hidden Roles. These entries require only a short narrative and offer early external evaluation by experts shaping REF2029.
Engaging with the Hidden REF offers Portsmouth several benefits:
- Support and recognition for researchers and other research-connected staff in under recognised areas.
- Opportunity for early external evaluation of NTOs prior to submission to REF, by those who are informing REF assessment processes.
- Previous Hidden REF competition winners feel that recognition allowed them to achieve even greater impact for themselves and their organisations.
- Making the most of our output quality 鈥 in REF2021, NTOs were 鈥溾.
Engaging with the Hidden REF initiative offers a route to strengthen research culture, support diverse contributions, and align with REF2029鈥檚 evolving expectations. The Hidden REF is not just about outputs鈥攊t鈥檚 about recognising the full spectrum of research excellence.
Hannah Coombs, Department of Research and Innovation