University of Leicester professor appointed chair for REF 2029 sub-panel

Professor Samuel Seidu from the University of Leicester has been selected to chair an expert panel of the Research Excellence Framework 2029 (REF).

The REF is the UK’s system for assessing the excellence of research in UK higher education providers.

The Professor in Primary Care Diabetes and Cardio-metabolic Medicine will chair the Public Health, Health Services, and Primary Care sub-panel. 

He will lead the core assessment unit for evaluating research quality, with responsibility for assessing submissions, developing criteria, and providing recommendations to the main panels. 

Speaking about his prestigious appointment, Professor Seidu said: “I am honoured to be appointed a REF 2029 sub-panel chair. This is a unique opportunity to lead the assessment of world-class research across public health, health services, and primary care, fields that are inherently interdisciplinary and critical to improving population health and reducing inequalities. 

“I bring to this role my experience in primary care and health services implementation, and I am committed to ensuring a fair, inclusive, and methodologically robust process that recognises the diverse ways in which impactful research is conducted and applied across academic and real-world settings.”

Professor Seidu is currently vice-chair for Research for Primary Care Diabetes Europe (PCDE) and is also board member of the Primary Care Diabetes Society of UK. In addition, he is co-chair of the Diabetes Delivery Group for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Integrated Care System. 

In 2021, he was named the most outstanding early career researcher by the Royal College of General Practitioners. 

Richard Thomas, Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research and Enterprise at the University of Leicester, said: “I would like to congratulate Samuel on his appointment to the Public Health, Health Services and Primary Care sub-panel, which speaks volumes of his experience and world-leading research expertise in primary care.

“From an institutional perspective, this news further bolsters the University of Leicester’s research reputation and our commitment to the research environment nationally. We enjoyed a 23-place rise to 30th position in the REF 2021 (according to analysis of Grade-Point-Average, GPA by the Times Higher Education), which was our best-ever performance in this national research assessment exercise, recognising the world-changing impact and quality of the research which takes place at Leicester.”

REF Director Rebecca Fairbairn said: “I'm delighted to welcome this outstanding group to lead the REF 2029 sub-panels. Their deep expertise and broad perspectives will be central to building an assessment process that is fair, rigorous, and trusted by the research community. We have been working in partnership with the sector throughout this process, and I'm grateful to everyone who expressed interest – your engagement is what strengthens the credibility and value of the REF across our research landscape.”