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The UK’s Research Excellence Framework (REF 2029) announced the appointment of panel experts who will help assess the quality and impact of research in higher education across the country.

Among those appointed are three professors from the University of Sussex Business School:

• Professor Andy Stirling, Emeritus Professor in the Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU), was appointed as a sub-panel member for Sociology.
• Professor Veronica Martinez Hernandez, Professor of Digital Operations and Services, was appointed as a sub-panel member (assessment phase) for Engineering.
• Professor Annemie Maertens, Professor of Economics, was appointed as a sub-panel member (assessment phase) for Economics and Econometrics.

The REF is the UK’s system for assessing the quality and impact of research in higher education through panels of experts reading and assessing thousands of submissions grouped into specific subject areas. In its communique, REF mentions: "Each panel member will have a key role in shaping the REF to support the higher education sector by providing a rigorous, trusted assessment of UK research." In total, 11 academics from the University of Sussex were appointed.

REF is organised into main panels covering broad disciplinary areas, and sub-panels focusing on specific subjects:

• Sub-panel members contribute across the REF process, developing subject-specific criteria and taking part in the detailed assessment of submissions within their Unit of Assessment (UoA).
• Sub-panel members (assessment phase) are appointed specifically for the assessment stage. They expand the panels’ expertise and capacity, reviewing submissions through peer review and expert judgement.

The appointment of Professors Stirling, Martinez, and Maertens highlights the extensive research expertise available at the University of Sussex Business School. Their roles will significantly contribute to shaping the UK landscape of research excellence in the years to come.

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