Universities pass UK research assessment stress test during tough times
Pandemic hampered submissions for REF but extension provided breathing space institutions needed
Last June, research funding bodies announced that they would put back the submission deadline for the UK’s research assessment exercise from December 2020 to 31 March 2021. Universities already struggling with the pandemic were concerned that they wouldn’t have time to finalise their submissions. In the end, institutions rose to the challenge and submissions went relatively smoothly.