Frappy talk

UKRI has announced a review of research assessment to be chaired by Peter Gluckman

Back in October, science minister Amanda Solloway promised an overhaul of the Research Excellence Framework. This morning, we have confirmation from UK Research and Innovation of a wider review of research assessment in the UK, as well as information on who’s going to run it and what its terms of reference will be.

First, the basics. The Future Research Assessment Programme, to be known as Frap (or Frapuccino in the hotter summer months) has been initiated at the request of the four governments of the UK and their associated funding bodies. In broad-brush terms, it will explore different approaches to the assessment of research performance in higher education institutions and seek to understand “what a healthy, thriving research system looks like and how an assessment model can best form its foundation”, UKRI says.