ARMA REF Forum
Presenter
Professor Hugh McKenna
Formerly Dean of Medical School Development and Pro Vice Chancellor Research and Innovation at Ulster University
Rebecca Fairbairn
Research Excellence Framework Director at Research England
Dr Cathal Rogers
Research Culture and Assessment Manager, University of Manchester
Gemma Fitzsimmons
Head of Research Information and Systems, University of Southampton
Registration
12 March, 2026
End
12 March, 2026
Time
9:30 am - 4:15 pm
Phone
0131 380 0066
Email
£384.00 inc. VAT
Member rate: £200.00 + VAT (£240.00)
Non-member rate: £320.00 + VAT (£384.00)
Location: The Studio Manchester, The Hive, 51 Lever Street, Manchester, M1 1FN
This event is for professionals navigating the complexities of REF and will offer opportunities for in-depth discussions and to share learnings.
Please note, the keynote sessions by Rebecca Fairbairn and Professor Hugh P McKenna will be livestreamed for free. Please register your interest to receive the joining instructions nearer the time. For those unable to join, the talks will also be recorded and made available to view on demand after the event.
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ARMA REF Forum
Event Details
Date and time: Thursday 12 March 2026, 9.30am – 4.15pm
Location: The Studio, 51 Lever Street, Manchester M1 1FN
A chance for the REF community to network, share good practice and discuss approaches to REF 2029, with focused sessions covering key themes such as Strategy, People and Research Environment (SPRE), responsible research assessment, Contributions to Knowledge and Understanding (CKU) assessment and more.
Keynotes include Rebecca Fairbairn, Research Excellence Framework Director at Research England and Professor Hugh P McKenna, formerly Dean of Medical School Development and Pro Vice Chancellor Research and Innovation at Ulster University. The keynote sessions will be livestreamed for free with an opportunity to participate in the Q&A, please register to receive the joining instructions nearer the time. For those unable to join, the talks will also be recorded and made available to view on demand after the event.
This event is for professionals navigating the complexities of REF and will offer opportunities for in-depth discussions and to share learnings.
Members and non-members are welcome.
| Item | Approximate timings |
| 1. Arrivals and refreshments | 09.30 |
| 2. Welcome and opening remarks
Jo Lakey, Associate Director, Research and Faculty Office, London Business School |
09.45 |
| 3. Keynote session (live broadcast): Rebecca Fairbairn, Research Excellence Framework Director, Research England | 10.00 |
| 4. Discussion session*: Next steps for SPRE preparations
Gemma Fitzsimmons, Head of Research Information and Systems, University of Southampton Cathal Rogers, Research Culture and Assessment Manager, University of Manchester
This session will review what we know about the Strategy, People and Research Environment section of the REF2029 submission and share practical tips for preparations building on REF2021 and the PCE pilot. We’ll also discuss why we think research culture development and measurement needs to remain a focus for institutions despite losing the word ‘culture’ from the title.
|
10.45 |
| 5. Lunch and networking | 12.30 |
| 6. Keynote session (live broadcast): Professor Hugh McKenna, formerly Dean of Medical School Development and Pro Vice Chancellor Research and Innovation, Ulster University. A member of the REF 2029 Research Diversity Advisory Panel | 13.30 |
| 7. Refreshment break | 14.15 |
| 8. CKU discussion session*: Substantial links/contribution, selecting outputs/code of practice, open access, compliance and policies | 14.30 |
| 9. Closing remarks & final questions
Jo Lakey, Associate Director, Research and Faculty Office, London Business School |
15.45 |
| 10. Close | 16.15 |
*Delegates will participate in table discussions focused on these topics.
