Open Access

The REF Open Access policy requires that journal articles and conference proceedings with an ISSN must be made open access to be eligible for inclusion in the REF submission. This policy applies to outputs published from 1 January 2021. With effect from 1 January 2026, the allowed embargo periods will be shortened and outputs should be licensed for open sharing and reuse.

Details on the REF open access requirements and how to meet them can be found on the REF 2029 at Cambridge Sharepoint.  

The University of Cambridge is committed to the principles of open research and expects all publications to be submitted to the Open Access Service. Details on how to share your research openly to support this commitment and meet open access requirements of REF and other funders can be found on the University's open access website.  

Contribution to Knowledge and Understanding

Research outputs will be assessed in the Contribution to Knowledge and Understanding strand of REF2029. Find out more on the REF 2029 at Cambridge SharePoint.