In week when I’ve heard overwhelmingly from female colleagues about how lack of childcare is impacting on them & there’s extensive coverage in the press about this & other gender & equality issues, it seems #REF21 will have shortest possible extension https://bit.ly/2XI8bF0 

I really fear for women’s career progression post-pandemic & a widening of the gender pay gap. I argued that #REF2021 should be put back a calendar year. I have a question: how many of those institutional responses to the survey actively sought & reflected women’s views?

Update on #REF2021 from @ResearchProfes It is “continuing to explore a revised submission deadline in March 2021”, although Helena Mills, head of REF policy at Research England, told Playbook’s Fiona McIntyre that the likelihood of it being postponed to a later date than March 1/

was “still very much one of the considerations”. The end of the assessment period for impact could also be pushed back from 31 July to 31 December 2/2

Any discussion about final timetable for #REF2021 needs to take equality & diversity v seriously indeed. Men may be dying in greater numbers but caring responsibilities are having a greater impact on women. And we must consider intersectional experiences of BAME & disabled staff

How are staff doing Impact Case Studies for #REF2021 being impacted by COVID - not just by illness & bereavement but caring responsibilities? https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2020/may/29/we-are-losers-in-this-crisis-research-finds-lockdowns-reinforcing-gender-inequality

And what about those women who were working on submission of outputs? This isn’t just about articles that won’t be published by census date. Practice research outputs need contextual portfolios #REF2021 https://www.theguardian.com/education/2020/may/12/womens-research-plummets-during-lockdown-but-articles-from-men-increase?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other