Welcome What the REF - Our attempt at demystifying everyone's favourite national research assessment exercise!<hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
What the REF?!
Claim This Podcastby HiddenREF
25 episodes
Updated Daily
Accepts GuestsHas SponsorsLocation 🇬🇧
7
Podcast Authority
BetaPoorBased on show quality, social media presence, reviews, charts, and more
Quality14
Social0
YouTube0
Engagement0
Podcast Overview
Welcome What the REF - Our attempt at demystifying everyone's favourite national research assessment exercise!<hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
5/12/2025
Unlock The Full Podcast Authority Score Report
See how your podcast performs across key metrics
7
Podcast Authority
BetaPoorBased on show quality, social media presence, reviews, charts, and more
Quality14
Social0
YouTube0
Engagement0
5
Excellent Areas
2
Good Performance
12
Growth Opportunities
excellent
Episode Length
33 minutes
Performing excellently!
good
Show Notes Quality
3.0/5
Recommendations available
Unlock the full report to see detailed tips
needs improvement
Publishing Consistency
Every 20 days
Recommendations available
Unlock the full report to see detailed tips
+16 More Metrics
Unlock comprehensive insights including:
- • YouTube presence analysis
- • Social media reach metrics
- • RSS compliance scoring
- • Podcast 2.0 features
- • Technical standards
What's Included in Your Full Report
Detailed Analytics
- Complete breakdown of all 19 authority metrics
- Personalized recommendations for each metric
- Industry benchmarks and comparisons
- Technical RSS feed analysis and compliance scoring
Growth Strategies
- Step-by-step action plans for improvement
- Quick wins to boost your score immediately
- Pro tips from successful podcasters
Get your free podcast insights report
See how your show performs across every key metric
Instant delivery
No spam
Attract Better Guests
High authority scores make your podcast more attractive to industry leaders and influencers who want to appear on credible shows.
Secure Sponsorships
Sponsors look for podcasts with proven authority and engagement. Your score demonstrates your podcast's value to potential partners.
Grow Your Audience
Understanding your strengths and weaknesses helps you make data-driven decisions to expand your listener base effectively.
1 verified contact email on file for What the REF?!
Pitch yourself as a guest, propose sponsorships, or reach out directly to the host.
Recent Episodes
July 22, 2026
What the REF is it like to start the REF?!
<p>How do you do your first REF when there is no instruction manual? In this episode of What the REF, we meet Arts University Plymouth as they prepare for their very first REF submission. Alexandra Murphy and Ian Hutchinson share the excitement, confusion and opportunities of building a REF culture from scratch at a specialist arts university. We explore practice-based research, "not-traditionally submitted outputs", creative portfolios and the relationship between art and research. Plus, we discuss the demise of Research Professional, REF and research integrity, and why REF 2029 might be a live experiment for the future of research assessment.</p><br><p>Our hosts are all members of the Hidden REF committee based at the universities of Southampton and Bristol: Gemma Derrick - a self-confessed REF junkie - Ola Thomson and Simon Hettrick. Our producer is Ben Thomas.</p><p>Find out more about the HiddenREF campaign at <a href="https://hidden-ref.org/ " rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Hidden-REF.org</a></p><br><p>'What the REF' is made possible by the Embedding Trust in Evaluation (E-TIE) research grant from Research England.</p><br><p>Want to get in touch? Email: WTreF@hidden-ref.org</p><br><p>WTreF is co-produced by Simon Hettrick, Gemma Derrick, James Baker and Ben Thomas. Video and Sound production by Ben Thomas.</p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
June 24, 2026
What the REF did we learn at ARMA?!
<p>Episode 23 of What the REF looks back at the recent ARMA Conference and the team’s take on various sessions there on the Research Excellence Framework. Gemma, Ola, and James discuss uncertainty around REF 2029, proposals to broaden what counts as research outputs, and gaps between policy language and what actually happens in institutions. They also dig into some of the bigger critiques of the REF — from Stefan Collini’s call to scrap it altogether, to counter-arguments that stress the need for accountability and a fair way of distributing research funding. Along the way, they share reflections from ARMA workshops, swap insights from creativity-focused university events, and dive into some REF folklore.</p><br><p>Our hosts are all members of the Hidden REF committee based at the universities of Southampton and Bristol: Gemma Derrick – a self-confessed REF junkie – Ola Thomson, and James Baker.Our producer is Ben Thomas.</p><p>Find out more about the HiddenREF campaign at <a href="https://hidden-ref.org/ " rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Hidden-REF.org</a></p><br><p>'What the REF' is made possible by the Embedding Trust in Evaluation (E-TIE) research grant from Research England.</p><br><p>Want to get in touch? Email: WTreF@hidden-ref.org</p><br><p>WTreF is co-produced by Simon Hettrick, Gemma Derrick, James Baker and Ben Thomas. Video and Sound production by Ben Thomas.</p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
June 10, 2026
What the REF: In conversation with Steven Hill
<p>Find out more about the HiddenREF campaign at <a href="https://hidden-ref.org/ " rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Hidden-REF.org</a></p><br><p>'What the REF' is made possible by the Embedding Trust in Evaluation (E-TIE) research grant from Research England.</p><br><p>Want to get in touch? Email: WTreF@hidden-ref.org</p><br><p>WTreF is co-produced by Simon Hettrick, Gemma Derrick, James Baker and Ben Thomas. Video and Sound production by Ben Thomas.</p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
25 total episodes available
Recent guests on What the REF?!
Guests from recent episodes — sign up to see every guest that has ever appeared on this show.
James Baker
Guest
Gemma Derrick
Guest
Simon Hettrick
Guest
Marcus Munafò
Guest
Dame Jessica Corner
Guest
Similar Podcasts
Discover related shows you might enjoy
Deep-dive analytics for What the REF?!
Frequently asked questions
Have a different question and can't find the answer you're looking for? Reach out to our support team by sending us an email and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.
- What is What the REF?!?
- How often does this podcast release new episodes?
This podcast updates daily.
- Where can I listen to this podcast?
This podcast is available on 4 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
- Does this podcast accept guests?
Yes, this podcast regularly features guests.
Legal Disclaimer
Pod Engine is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected with any of the podcasts displayed on this platform. We operate independently as a podcast discovery and analytics service.
All podcast artwork, thumbnails, and content displayed on this page are the property of their respective owners and are protected by applicable copyright laws. This includes, but is not limited to, podcast cover art, episode artwork, show descriptions, episode titles, transcripts, audio snippets, and any other content originating from the podcast creators or their licensors.
We display this content under fair use principles and/or implied license for the purpose of podcast discovery, information, and commentary. We make no claim of ownership over any podcast content, artwork, or related materials shown on this platform. All trademarks, service marks, and trade names are the property of their respective owners.
While we strive to ensure all content usage is properly authorized, if you are a rights holder and believe your content is being used inappropriately or without proper authorization, please contact us immediately at hey@podengine.ai for prompt review and appropriate action, which may include content removal or proper attribution.
By accessing and using this platform, you acknowledge and agree to respect all applicable copyright laws and intellectual property rights of content owners. Any unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or commercial use of the content displayed on this platform is strictly prohibited.