The Courtauld Institute of Art is pleased to announce that Professor Jo Applin, Walter H. Annenberg Professor in the History of Art at The Courtauld has been appointed as an expert sub-panel member for REF2029.
The Research Excellence Framework (REF) is the UK’s system for assessing the excellence of research in UK higher education institutions (HEIs). The REF outcomes are used to inform the allocation of around £2 billion per year of public funding for universities’ research. The REF is a process of expert review, carried out by sub-panels focused on subject-based units of assessment (UoAs), under the guidance of overarching main panels and advisory panels.
Following a rigorous and open recruitment process, a highly qualified and diverse group of experts has been appointed across all 34 Units of Assessment (UoAs). From medicine, health and life sciences to the social sciences, and physical sciences, engineering and mathematics to the arts and humanities, 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.
For the first time, panel members were appointed through an open application process, rather than by nomination, designed to reduce barriers and attract a broader, more inclusive pool of candidates.
Reflecting on the process, REF Director Rebecca Fairbairn, said: “It’s been a privilege to work with the sector bodies and panel chairs on this new, open recruitment approach. I’m grateful for their insight and leadership throughout the process. It’s been inspiring to see the depth, strength, and commitment of the UK’s research community, and I’m very much looking forward to welcoming the new panel members to the team.”
Dr Lucy Bradnock, Dean for Research, said: “The Courtauld celebrates the UK’s rich diversity of research in art history, practice, and theory. We are thrilled that Professor Applin has been selected to be part of this prestigious panel alongside her peers.”
