Head of School to chair law sub-panel for Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021

Press release issued: 25 January 2018

Professor Joanne Conaghan one of 34 ‘exceptional individuals’ appointed to play a key role in the forthcoming REF.

As chair, Professor Conaghan will lead the sub-paneI for law in developing criteria for the assessment of research and in consistently applying assessment standards.

Professor Conaghan will also be responsible for engaging with the UK higher education sector on the REF. She said:

“I am honoured to be invited to chair the sub-panel for law in the forthcoming REF and look forward to working with the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and fellow-chairs.”

Dr Kim Hackett, REF Manager, said:

‘We have had an excellent response to our call for applications to the role of sub-panel chair, which has enabled the funding bodies to appoint an exceptional set of individuals to these key positions. We are also delighted to have achieved a good balance across types of institution and geographical regions with these appointments.”

Professor Conaghan now has a key task ahead in recommending sub-panel members.

A full list of the sub-panel chairs for each of the 34 sub-panel areas is available at www.ref.ac.uk/about/rolepan/.

Further information

The REF is the system for assessing the quality of research in UK universities and higher education colleges. The results of the REF drive the allocation of public funding for research. This major exercise is undertaken by the four UK higher education funding bodies. It was first conducted in 2014, replacing the Research Assessment Exercise. The development of the next exercise is now well underway. Find out more about the selection of REF sub-panel chairs.

Professor Joanne Conaghan is Professor of Law and Head of School, University of Bristol, UK. A graduate and postgraduate of St Hugh’s College Oxford, and previous Head of the Law School at the University of Kent, Joanne has written extensively about issues relating to gender and law and is widely recognized as a leading scholar in that field, both nationally and internationally.