TEF and REF pile-up likely in 2020, says mission group

University leaders have raised concerns over teaching and research audits being carried out in the same year, while the Office for Students has admitted that Teaching Excellence Framework metrics are “not perfect”.

Speaking at a higher education event in London on 1 November, Alan Palmer, head of policy and research at the MillionPlus group of teaching-led universities, said there could be an upcoming “TEF-REF clash”. Palmer said institutions would need to submit evidence for the next Research Excellence Framework at the end of 2020, while the first full subject-level TEF starts in the same year.

“If the TEF is here to stay and it will be something that happens every two years, then something I’ve been concerned about for a long time could come true: the TEF-REF clash that’s coming down the tracks,” said Palmer. “I see a never-ending rollercoaster of guidance, consultations, submission preparation, results, analysing, strategy changes, with institutions spending their time doing nothing more than being accountable.”