The members of a new steering group set up to review university research funding ahead of the next REF have been announced. The group will be led by Lord Nicholas Stern, president of the British Academy and former World Bank Chief Economist.

Group members include:

• Professor Julia Black, Professor of Law and Pro-director for Research, London School of Economics
• Professor Sir Leszek Borysiewicz, immunologist and Vice-Chancellor, Cambridge University
• Professor Dame Vicki Bruce, psychologist, Newcastle University
• Professor Linda Colley, historian, Princeton University
• Gareth Davies, Director General of Business and Science, BIS
• Professor Julia King, The Baroness Brown of Cambridge, engineer and Vice-Chancellor, Aston University
• Professor Alex Halliday, geochemist, Oxford University and Vice-President and Physical Secretary, The Royal Society
• Professor Anton Muscatelli, economist and Vice-Chancellor, Glasgow University
• Professor Sir John Tooke, medical scientist, UCL and Past President, Academy of Medical Sciences

The review has been asked to cut the red tape involved in funding research so that universities can focus on producing world-leading research. Lord Nicholas Stern is expected to report to the government by summer 2016.