The big question

With the REF results in, was it all worth the effort?

The wait is over. After nearly 2,000 submissions, covering the work of more than 76,000 academic staff, universities across the UK have found out how they fared in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework. But, as the sector continues to pore over the results, was it all worth it? 

That question might spark a chorus of ‘no’ from many of the research offices responsible for cajoling academics through the submission process. The outcomes of the exercise, which Research Professional News has used to create its traditional Research Power List, lend that view some weight.