Improving REF Impact scores

A university in London were disappointed with their Impact scores from the REF2014. They had submitted to 11 UoAs in total and asked Bulletin to undertake a comprehensive benchmarking exercise with a view to improving their scores in the REF2021.

Bulletin compared their impact case studies section by section with one of the strongest submissions for each UoA, providing a detailed analysis of where our client university had done less well than the high-scoring HEI and consequently lost out on higher scores.

Among our recommendations for improvement drawn from the analysis, the following stood out for the majority of relevant UoAs:

• Provide a clear indication of the real-world problem or need which the research set out to address
• Include clear evidence of qualitative and quantitative measures of impact in the text, and contextualise these to demonstrate how they indicate Reach and Significance, the criteria used to score impact case studies
• Build a clear timeline, demonstrating explicitly that the impacts described occurred during the relevant assessment period
• Descriptions of any relevant stakeholder relationships or collaborations which led to impact should be included in the narrative
• Consider carefully before any public engagement event how you will capture any qualitative impact on the audience

We continued to support our client university throughout the REF2021 cycle, providing impact training as well as repeated individual written and oral feedback on successive impact case study drafts.

The result was a distinct improvement in impact scores for all UoAs submitted to both REFs. In five UoAs, a majority 4* rating was achieved for the first time, while all showed a clear upward trend in the percentage of 4* and 3* ratings achieved. 1* ratings were eliminated completely, while 2* ratings occurred in only three UoAs.