Impact For REF

Definition of impact for the REF

For the purposes of REF, impact is defined as an effect on, change or benefit to the economy, society, culture, public policy or services, health, the environment or quality of life, beyond academia.

Impact includes, but is not limited to, an effect on, change or benefit to:

• the activity, attitude, awareness, behaviour, capacity, opportunity, performance, policy, practice, process or understanding
• of an audience, beneficiary, community, constituency, organisation or individuals
• in any geographic location whether locally, regionally, nationally or internationally

Impact includes the reduction or prevention of harm, risk, cost or other negative effects.

Impacts on research or the advancement of academic knowledge within the HE sector (whether in the UK or internally) are excluded – the submitted unit’s contribution to academic research and knowledge is assessed within the ‘outputs’ and ‘environment’ elements of REF.

Impacts on students, teaching or other activities both within and beyond the submitting HEI are included.

Definition of research for the REF

For the purposes of REF, research is defined as a process of investigation leading to new insights effectively shared.

It includes:

• work of direct relevance to the needs of commerce, industry, culture, society, and to the public and voluntary sectors;
• scholarship;
• the invention and generation of ideas, images, performances, artefacts including design, where these lead to new or substantially improved insights;
• the use of existing knowledge in experimental development to produce new or substantially improved materials, devices, products and processes, including design and construction.
• Research that is published, disseminated or made publicly available in the form of assessable research outputs, and confidential reports.

It excludes:

• Routine testing and routine analysis of materials, components and processes such as for the maintenance of national standards, as distinct from the development of new analytical techniques;
• The development of teaching materials that do not embody original research.

The definitions in the starred levels in the impact sub-profile are:

REF Weighting: Outputs, Impact and Environment

In forming their overall quality judgements, the sub-panels will assess three distinct elements of each submission – outputs, impact and environment – against the following generic criteria:

Outputs: The sub-panels will assess the quality of submitted research outputs in terms of their ‘originality, significance and rigour, with reference to international research quality standards.  This element will carry a weighting of 60% in the overall outcome awarded to each submission.

Impact: The sub-panels will assess the ‘reach and significance’ of impacts on the economy, society, culture, public policy or services, health, the environment or quality of life that were underpinned by excellent research conducted in the submitted unit.  This element will carry a weighting of 25%.

Environment: The sub-panels will assess the research environment in terms of its ‘vitality and sustainability’, including the approach to enabling impact from its research, and its contribution to the vitality and sustainability of the wider discipline or research base.  This element will carry a weighting of 15%.

Impact Criteria – Reach and Significance

Reach – the extent and/or diversity of the beneficiaries of the impact, as relevant to the nature of the impact.

Significance – the degree to which impact has enabled, enriched, influenced, informed or changed the performance, policies, practices, products, services, understanding, awareness or well-being of the beneficiaries.

• The sub-panels will make an overall judgement about the reach and significance of impacts, rather than assessing them separately.
• While ICS need to demonstrate both, the balance between them may vary.
• Sub-panels will exercise their judgement without privileging or disadvantaging either reach or significance.
• Reach will be assessed in terms of the extent to which beneficiaries have been affected – not in geographic terms or absolute numbers.
• Criteria will be applied wherever the impact has been felt, regardless of geography or location.
• No account will be taken of anticipated or future potential impact – nor impact that occurred outside the assessment period.

Impact case studies continued from REF 2014

Case studies will be considered to be continued if:

• The body of underpinning research is the same as described in a 2014 case study.  This should not be understood solely in relation to the referenced outputs, but means that the continued case study does not describe any new research having taken place since the previous case study that has made a distinct and material contribution to the impact and
• There is significant overlap in the impact described, so that the impact types and beneficiaries are broadly the same as described in the 2014 case study.

Areas of Impact

Impacts where the beneficiaries are individuals/groups/animals whose health outcomes have been improved, quality of life has been enhanced (or potential harm mitigated) or rights/interests been protected or advocated through enhanced policy/practice.

Types of Impact - Examples

Areas of Impact

Impacts where the beneficiaries include individuals, groups, organisations or communities whose rights, duties, behaviours, opportunities, inclusion or quality of life have been influenced.

Types of Impact - Examples

• Research contributes to campaigns for social, economic, political and/or legal change through engagement with civil society groups.
• Research contributes to change to social policy that improves social welfare, equality, social inclusion or justice outcomes, or enhanced understanding of victims’ needs in post-conflict states.

Corroborating Evidence - Examples

Documented evidence of research influence on post-conflict public debate

• UoA22 ICS: Historical enquires: holding the UK authorities and Police Service of Northern Ireland to account - informing stakeholders, changing policy and influencing public debate
• Testimonial Evidence (Factual Statement) From Civil Society Groups:  Sample testimonial

Areas of Impact

Impacts where the beneficiaries include government, NGOs, charities and public sector organisations and society through the implementation/non implementation of policies, systems or reforms.

Types of Impact - Examples

• Research contributes to legislative scrutiny, policy debate, parliamentary activity, government analysis or change to public policy, legislation, regulations, guidelines or public services.
• Research influences the policy and practice of international agencies and institutions or the policy-facing work of NGOs.

Corroborating Evidence - Examples

Areas of Impact

Impacts where beneficiaries include organisations or individuals/service users involved in the development and/or delivery of professional services/ethics.

Types of Impact - Examples

Areas of Impact

Impacts where the beneficiaries are the natural, historical and/or built environment, and societies, individuals or groups who benefit as a result.

Types of Impact - Examples

Areas of Impact

Areas of Impact

Impacts where the beneficiaries are individuals (including groups of individuals) whose production has been enhanced.

Types of Impact - Examples

Corroborating Evidence - Examples

Areas of Impact

Impacts where the beneficiaries may include businesses, either new or established, the NHS, private health and social care, agriculture or other type of organisation which may undertake activity that may create wealth.

Types of Impact - Examples

Corroborating Evidence - Examples

Areas of Impact

Types of Impact - Examples

Corroborating Evidence - Examples