@hiddenref.bsky.social
Celebrating all research outputs and everyone involved in their creation
🎙️ Podcast episode 5 is out now
What the REF are we doing with NTOs?!
Listen to What the REF?! via our website, on Youtube or wherever you usually find your podcasts www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6u9...
Have a question about REF you'd like answered?
👉 WTreF@hidden-ref.org
🎉 Day 1 of the Festival is officially sold out! 🎉
We do have a waitlist you can join if tickets become available
💡 Higher capacity for Day 2 - tickets are still available.
📅 Want to know what’s happening on both days and grab your ticket? Head over to our website: hidden-ref.org/the-festival...
Another powerful piece in Research Professional News, by Simon Kerridge, highlighting how the current REF 2029 proposals could unintentionally discourage vital contributions from researchers working outside traditional academic roles.
Read here 👉 www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-v...
New article in Research Professional News: "Vague rules will not dispel the REF’s climate of caution"
Inclusive assessment needs stronger backing, say Gemma Derrick, Elizabeth Gadd, Simon Hettrick and James Baker.
Read the full article 👉 www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-v...
🎙️ Podcast episode 4 is out now
What the REF is happening with the CKU?!
Listen to What the REF?! via our website, on Youtube or wherever you usually find your podcasts. www.youtube.com/watch?v=U97E...
Have a question about REF you'd like answered?
👉 WTreF@hidden-ref.org
🎙️ Podcast episode 3 is out now
What the REF are our research incentives?
Listen to What the REF?! via our website, on YouTube or wherever you usually find your podcasts.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHRQ...
Have a question about REF you'd like answered?
👉 WTreF@hidden-ref.org
Image of outside of Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum with Hidden REF Festival logo and wording '7-8 October 2025 Thinktank Birmingham'
There's only a small number of tickets left for the Festival of Hidden REF so if you are hoping to join us - be quick!
hidden-ref.org/the-festival...
🎙️ Podcast episode 2 is out now
What the REF should we call these outputs?!
Listen to What the REF?! via our website hidden-ref.org/what-the-ref/, on YouTube or wherever you usually find your podcasts.
Have a question about REF you'd like answered?
👉 WTreF@hidden-ref.org
image of quote 'It is truly an honour to receive the hidden REF award. This achievement is the result of the hard work, dedication and creativity of an amazing team – every person involved in myHealthE brought their unique expertise and passion and we’re proud of what we have accomplished together. This award is a celebration of our collective effort. Sarjhana Brindha, CAMHS Digital Lab, King’s College London, myHealthE'
Congratulations again to Sarjhana Brindha, winner of the Applications of research panel in the 2024 Hidden REF Competition.
Her work with the myHealthE portal stood out for its impact and innovation. Learn more about her achievement in the full story below.:
lnkd.in/euWPGCG8
A hexagonal laptop sticker, with the ConveRSE logo (Conve and RSE in adjoining speech bubbles) on a purple background, decorated with more, smaller speech bubbles. Under the logo is the text: "Let's Talk About Mental Health".
Delighted to announce 'ConveRSE' - the new online hub for #MentalHealth information, resources and support for people in the research software community - at @softwaresaved.bsky.social #CollabW25.
More details and opportunities to contribute to follow in the coming weeks.
🎙️ We've started a podcast!
We're excited to launch What the REF?!, the very first podcast from Hidden REF, where we attempt to demystify everyone's favourite national research assessment exercise.
hidden-ref.org/what-the-ref/
Have a question about REF you'd like answered?
👉 WTreF@hidden-ref.org
Image of Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum with Hidden REF Festival logo and text '7-8 October 2025 Thinktank Birmingham, Registration is open!'
📢 Registration is now open 📢
Join us on 7-8 October 2025 at Thinktank, Birmingham Science Museum for the second Festival of Hidden REF!
Explore the indicative schedule, learn more on our website or head straight to the registration page to secure your place! www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-festiv...
We are excited to announce CoSeC joining us as an official Hidden REF supporter!
Learn more about our collaboration and read a quote from Dr. Stephen Longshaw, Director of CoSeC, in their recent news item: www.cosec.ac.uk/impact/cosec...
We are thrilled to have Octopus join us as an official supporter!
Octopus is an alternative publishing platform designed to support best research practices and encourage the recognition of all of those who are involved. www.octopus.ac
Explore all of our great supporters hidden-ref.org/supporters/
photo of outside of Thinktank Birmingham, hidden ref festival logo, text '7-8 October 2025 Thinktank Birmingham'
🎉 Exciting News!
The second Festival of Hidden REF is coming to Birmingham on 7–8 October 2025!
🗓️ Save the Date
📬 Be the first to know when registration opens in mid-May (mailing list): eepurl.com/gRP24n
🔍 Find out more and see an indicative schedule: hidden-ref.org/the-festival...
#HiddenRefFest
📢 We're Hiring: fixed-term Hidden REF Administrator
This role is ideal for a motivated professional seeking career development or a recent graduate looking to explore opportunities within a higher education environment.
jobs.soton.ac.uk/Vacancy.aspx...
Applications for the Community Manager role close on Wednesday next week 👇
06.03.2025 10:21 — 👍 3 🔁 2 💬 0 📌 0
Software Sustainability Institute Research Software Maintenance Fund logo, a grey wavy pattern
🟥 We are happy to announce that the SSI has received £4.8m from @ukri.org to launch the Research Software Maintenance Fund.
Find out more about this exciting opportunity at www.software.ac.uk/news/ukri-aw...
More exciting news! PLOS has joined as our 25th supporter! 🎉
Like us, they believe in a better future where science is open to all, for all.
Explore all of our fantastic supporters and find out how you can join us, over on our website
hidden-ref.org/supporters/
We are thrilled to be working with universities across the UK on a series of workshops, sharing insights from the Hidden REF and research on best practices for submitting non-traditional outputs for assessment.
The University of Liverpool share the importance of recognising all outputs 👇
Exciting news! The first of our Hidden REF competition certificates have arrived with the recipients! 🎉
We're proud to celebrate and recognise all contributions to research - because every role matters.
Thank you to everyone driving research forward!
We're Hiring!
The Software Sustainability Institute is looking for a Community Manager to help grow and support vital academic communities, including HiddenREF and the Research Software Engineer movement.
For informal enquiries, contact l.ballantyne@soton.ac.uk
jobs.soton.ac.uk/Vacancy.aspx...
We are delighted to join UKRN as a stakeholder and contribute to its vital work in fostering a robust and open research culture.
Read the news article for full details 👉 www.ukrn.org/2025/02/04/u...
Our next town hall is coming up tomorrow. Join us 11-12 for a session covering the REF 2029 People, Culture and Environment Pilot followed by a Q&A 2029.ref.ac.uk/about/how-to...
03.02.2025 15:30 — 👍 1 🔁 3 💬 0 📌 1
We are pleased to officially announce our £3.5 million funding from Research England for our five-year project, Embedding Trust in Evaluation (E-TIE), we will be working with Research England, the REF 2029 team and the Research Diversity Advisory Panel.
hidden-ref.org/campaign-to-...
“The Hidden REF nomination has most definitely been a career highlight. It’s wonderful to know that the contributions of research office support staff, however small, are highly valued by healthcare researchers. I hope this award encourages other hospitals and institutions to put in place similar support systems, helping researchers navigate the complexities of grant funding and allowing them to focus on what they do best - improving the lives of their patients. ” Laura Henderson, Research Development Manager, Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals 2024 Hidden Role winner
Hear from one of our 2024 competition winners below and read the full article from her institution here:
www.rbht.nhs.uk/research/hid...
What a fantastic year it's been for the Hidden REF.
We’re so grateful for the incredible support from our amazing community and supporters.
To everyone celebrating, we wish you a very Merry Christmas, see you in 2025 for more exciting work ahead!
The recording of the awards ceremony for the Hidden REF Competition 2024 and the results are now on our website 📽️ :
hidden-ref.org/hidden-ref-c...
Hidden Role Highly commended: - Dr Fran Pontin, Senior Research Data Scientist for the Consumer Data Research Centre at the University of Leeds - Jenny Baker, Susanna Rose, Karen Hogg, James Fox, and Katrien van Bocxlaer - the Phlebotomy team at the University of York - Sarah Gibson, Danny Garside, Brigitta Sipocz and Jim Madge, the Open Infrastructure Working group for The Turing Way at the Alan Turing Institute
🏆 The Hidden REF 2024 Competition Results 🏆
(results over 6 separate posts)
Hidden Role Winners: - Jenni Adams, Open Research Manager at the University of Sheffield - Laura Henderson, Research Development Manager at the Royal Brompton Hospital, part of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust
🏆 The Hidden REF 2024 Competition Results 🏆
(results over 6 separate posts)
