EPrints Documentation - User contributions [en-gb]

REF 2029

2026-07-16T15:03:33Z

EDumbill: Adding some extra detail

==Introduction==
The REF2029 plugin for EPrints is a re-implementation of the previous REF2014 and REF Support plugins to help simplify and streamline the REF selection process for REF 2029.

==Benchmarks==
Before any REF selections can be made, a REF Benchmark needs to be created. This can be achieved using the REF 2029 screen.
Multiple benchmarks can be added but only one can be active at any given time. New items that are selected for REF are automatically assigned to the active benchmark.
[[File:REF 2029 Benchmarks.jpg|600px|thumb|none]]

==Units of Assessment Champions==
Only users who are assigned as a REF Unit of Assessment (UoA) champion are able to select EPrints records for a UoA.

Users can be assigned as a UoA champion in their user profiles. Users can be champions for as many or as few UoAs as necessary.

[[File:UoA Champions.jpg|600px|thumb|none]]

If a user is a champion for a limited number of UoAs, they can see when outputs have been assigned for other UoAs and assign the UoA of which they are a champion but cannot assign reviewers or interact with reviews and reports for other UoAs.

To assign an item to a UoA, select the REF2029 tab from the admin view of a record, select the required UoA from the dropdown and hit ‘select for REF2029’.
[[File:Selecting for REF.png|600px|thumb|none]]

By default, all 34 UoAs being used in [https://2029.ref.ac.uk/panels/units-of-assessment/ REF 2029] are made available. Any UoAs that your institution is not submitting to can be removed.

==Reviews==
When an item has been selected for one or more UoA, UoA champions will see the option to assign reviewers to the selection. This will send an email to the reviewer with a link to fill in their review and give the option to copy this. The link includes a code to give the reviewer secure access to the review form.

[[File:Assigning Reviewers.png|600px|thumb|none]]

The link sent to reviewers contains a workflow where they can enter their review and a rating. The rating is between 0-4 stars. Once reviews have been submitted, the option to copy the link will no longer be available.

[[File:Adding Review.png|600px|thumb|none]]

==Item Record and Selection==
[[File:Selection Workflow.png|600px|thumb|none]]
The REF selection record, used for compiling a REF submission, can be edited. Links to guidance from UKRI are shared at the top of this firm, which represents all of the fields that are required by REF. Fields that are mandatory in the REF are mandatory in this workflow, all other fields can be removed or amended as necessary.

There are 4 components here
# Mediated Rating – the final score given to this output based on the reviews. Currently, this will need to be manually inputted though the ability to calculate this automatically is on the development roadmap for the REF2029 plugin.
# EPrint details – metadata about the output, these are pulled automatically from the EPrint record.
# Substantive link – metadata about the researcher(s) associated with the output. This includes the ability to flag that the linked researcher is a former member of staff and to give information about the nature of the link between the output and the researcher(s).
# Submission details – metadata describing the submission, including the ability to specify whether this output should be double-weighted and to nominate reserves.

If any requested reviews are outstanding, there will be information about these at the top of the page.
==Reports==
REF 2029 reports are available for each UoA via the main REF 2029 screen, linked in the repository menu. UoA champions are able to see reports for all of the UoAs that they have been assigned to. As with other EPrints reports, the export format and fields to include can be amended. By default, these reports will include all fields required to compile a REF submission for that UoA, which will have been set at the item level as described above.

[[File:REF Reports.png|600px|thumb|none]]

==For Developers==

===REF 2029 Screen===

===UoA Champions===
The user workflow needs updating to allow users to be selected as UoA Champions.
<source lang="xml">
<epc:if test="$STAFF_ONLY = 'TRUE'">
<component>
<title>
<epc:phrase ref="user_section_ref2029"/>
</title>
<field ref="ref2029_uoa_champion"/>
</component>
</epc:if>
</source>

===REF Screen in Deposit Workflow===
The EPrint workflow will also need amending to ensure the REF screen is using REF 2029 rules where the item is in scope.
Replace the existing hefce_oa stage with
<source lang="xml">
<epc:choose>
<epc:when test="ref2029_cc.property('scope') = '26-28'">
<component>
<field ref="hoa_emb_len"/>
</component>
<component type="REF2029">
<field ref="ref2029_gold_oa"/>
<field ref="ref2029_pub_agreement"/>
<field ref="ref2029_pre_compliant"/>
<field ref="ref2029_pre_compliant_txt"/>
<field ref="ref2029_override"/>
<field ref="ref2029_ex_dep"/>
<field ref="ref2029_ex_dep_txt"/>
<field ref="ref2029_ex_acc"/>
<field ref="ref2029_ex_acc_txt"/>
<field ref="ref2029_ex_tec"/>
<field ref="ref2029_ex_tec_txt"/>
<field ref="ref2029_ex_fur"/>
<field ref="ref2029_ex_fur_txt"/>
</component>
<component>
<field ref="hoa_ref_pan"/>
</component>
</epc:when>
<epc:otherwise>
<component type="Field::Multi">
<title>Pre-Compliance</title>
<field ref="hoa_override"/>
<field ref="hoa_override_txt"/>
</component>
<component>
<field ref="hoa_exclude"/>
</component>
<component>
<field ref="hoa_pre_pub"/>
</component>
<component>
<field ref="hoa_gold"/>
</component>
<component>
<field ref="hoa_emb_len"/>
</component>
<component>
<field ref="hoa_ref_pan"/>
</component>
<component type="Field::Multi">
<title>Deposit Exceptions</title>
<field ref="hoa_ex_dep"/>
<field ref="hoa_ex_dep_txt"/>
</component>
<component type="Field::Multi">
<title>Access Exceptions</title>
<field ref="hoa_ex_acc"/>
<field ref="hoa_ex_acc_txt"/>
</component>
<component type="Field::Multi">
<title>Technical Exceptions</title>
<field ref="hoa_ex_tec"/>
<field ref="hoa_ex_tec_txt"/>
</component>
<component type="Field::Multi">
<title>Further Exceptions</title>
<field ref="hoa_ex_fur"/>
<field ref="hoa_ex_fur_txt"/>
</component>
</epc:otherwise>
</epc:choose>
</source>

It is also a good idea to ensure that your hefce_oa ingredient/plugin is up to date

File:REF Reports.png

2026-07-16T14:55:33Z

EDumbill:

Generating a report of selections in a UoA

File:Selection Workflow.png

2026-07-16T14:52:22Z

EDumbill:

Editing the REF selection information

File:Adding Review.png

2026-07-16T14:51:20Z

EDumbill:

Adding a review to the selection

File:Assigning Reviewers.png

2026-07-16T14:49:39Z

EDumbill:

Assigning reviews to a selection

REF 2029

2026-07-16T14:47:59Z

EDumbill: /* Units of Assessment Champions */

REF 2029

2026-07-16T14:47:19Z

EDumbill: /* Units of Assessment Champions */

File:Selecting for REF.png

2026-07-16T14:44:20Z

EDumbill:

Selecting an output for a UoA. The current user is not a champion for B07 so cannot interact with it but can see it has been selected.

REF 2029

2026-07-16T14:41:28Z

EDumbill: /* Benchmarks */