Research impact is no longer simply a component of the Research Excellence Framework (REF). It has become central to how universities demonstrate the value of their research to society, government, industry and the economy.
Successful impact case studies do not emerge in the months before submission. They are the culmination of years of research, collaboration, evidence gathering and careful stewardship. The strongest institutions therefore invest not only in developing individual case studies, but also in building the culture, systems and partnerships that enable impact to flourish over the long term.
Over more than a decade I have worked with academics, professional service teams and university leaders to develop REF Impact Case Studies, assess institutional portfolios and help universities prepare for future assessment exercises. My approach combines practical support for individual researchers with strategic advice for institutions seeking to strengthen their wider impact capability.
1. Developing Outstanding Impact Case Studies
Every impact pathway and story is different.
Some arise from decades of collaboration with industry, while others influence public policy, improve health outcomes, enrich culture or transform professional practice. Each requires a different narrative, different evidence and different supporting material.
Over the past year I’ve worked with the University of Sheffield on case studies across Units in all four REF Main Panels.
The starting point is always the research itself. Then we look at how that research has travelled beyond academia and created demonstrable change. And, the output is often a 5-year plan for ongoing engagement, as well as a 2-3 year plan aiming at the REF 2029 deadline.
Developing an excellent case study involves far more than writing.
Typical activities include:
- testing whether potential case studies meet REF requirements
- mapping pathways from research to impact
- identifying beneficiaries and stakeholders
- assessing the level of contribution the research has made to each impact
- gathering corroborating evidence
- strengthening the overall narrative
- identifying evidence gaps and a plan to address them
- supporting academics through interviews, workshops and one-to-one discussions.
It’s important to look beyond REF 2029 timelines from the outset. Research may have built over decades or just a few years. Engagement with potential users or beneficiaries will be past, present and future.
What emerges is a plan to develop the impact of the research, some of which falls inside the REF period and some which extends beyond. This approach helps academics, REF and KE teams compare the ‘natural’ development of the impact against an overlaid REF timetable.
One of the most rewarding aspects of this work is helping researchers recognise the significance of achievements. A conversation that begins with modest claims can reveal years of influence on policy, industry, healthcare, or society.
The objective is never simply to produce a stronger REF submission. It is to help researchers understand how their work creates value beyond academia, to build that value, and to gain confidence in communicating the impact.
At Sheffield, that identified impact case studies building over long and short timescales, plans for the coming months and years, and a picture of how research impact fits into health, social and economic change.
2. Assessing an Institutional Portfolio
Individual case studies matter, but universities are assessed on portfolios rather than isolated examples.
Institutional reviews therefore consider questions such as:
- Have we identified all the promising impact stories in a department or discipline?
- Are sufficient case studies being developed?
- Are they distributed appropriately across Units of Assessment?
- Where are the strongest examples?
- Which case studies require further development?
- Where are the risks?
- Which disciplines need additional support?
Portfolio reviews combine qualitative judgement with structured assessment. REF requirements for signficcance, reach and evidence must be augmented with an assessment of risk.
- How strong is the case study now?
- How strong could it be by submission date?
- What needs to be done to get there? Actions A, B, C …
- What is the probablility of A, B and C happening?
Working with the University of Sheffield, I’ve been able to use experience of 100s of case studies and knowledge exchange projects to address these questions in three subject areas.
What emerges is that the first three questions are relatively easy to answer. The Actions will involve engaging stakeholders, generating more impact, and gathering evidence. Some of this will be beyond the university’s control, making the probability difficult to estimate.
This leads to a complex, subjective judgment of the risk for each case study, the collective risk for a Unit of Assessment and how many potential cases to keep under consideration. I often work with university and subject experts to reach a Unit-level assessment.
An important element is also to identify future opportunities. Many institutions possess excellent research with considerable impact potential that has not yet been recognised or developed.
Portfolio assessment therefore becomes an opportunity to identify future investment priorities and support emerging impact narratives that will bear fruit over 5-10 years.
3. Looking Beyond REF 2029
The strongest universities do not prepare for REF every six or seven years.
They develop institutional cultures in which impact is considered throughout the research lifecycle.
Preparation therefore extends well beyond identifying potential case studies.
It includes questions such as:
- How are impact opportunities identified?
- How are relationships with external partners sustained?
- How is evidence captured as projects develop?
- How are academics supported to work beyond the university?
- How are knowledge exchange and research impact connected?
- How are professional service teams organised to support impact?
- How are future academic leaders encouraged to develop impactful research?
Universities recognise that research impact is closely linked with knowledge exchange, business engagement, public engagement and regional collaboration. These activities should not operate independently but reinforce one another through shared institutional strategies and professional support.
Developing this capability requires investment in people as much as processes. Academic confidence, professional expertise and strong partnerships are all essential ingredients of long-term success.
The question “How do we become a university that consistently creates excellent research impact?” has a different answer for each institution. It depends upon size and shape, resources and location. There are excellent examples across the UK that can be used to build a bespoke plan for developing people, processes, and structures.
That shift in thinking represents one of the most important changes in UK research management over the past decade.
Outcomes
Support can be tailored to individual researchers, departments or whole institutions, including:
- One-to-one support for developing Impact Case Studies
- Workshops for academic and professional service teams
- Portfolio reviews and readiness assessments
- Gap analyses and prioritisation exercises
- Strategic advice for REF preparation
- Development of institutional impact strategies
- Integration of impact with knowledge exchange and business engagement
- Planning beyond REF 2029.
Ultimately, my aim is not simply to improve REF submissions, but to help universities create environments in which excellent research consistently leads to meaningful benefits for society, the economy and public policy.
Research excellence is the starting point. Lasting impact depends upon the people, partnerships, and systems that enable it.