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Last week HEFCE published a 27-page report on the outcomes of its impact pilot exercise. It makes clear that impact will be a key part of the REF assessment, although the weighting may be reduced:

Research Excellence Framework impact pilot exercise: Findings of the expert panels

The impact pilot took place throughout this year with departments from 29 universities and across 5 UoAs (units of assessment or subject areas), from English language and literature to Clinical medicine. This will feed into the guidelines for the REF (Research Excellence Framework) as they are finalised. Some of the key findings and recommendations were:

• Narrative case studies are a good method of assessing impacts, although changes will be made to the impact statement template;
• Impact should be defined broadly to cover economic, social, cultural environmental, health and quality of life benefits;
• A 25% weighting is too high and this should be lowered while impact assessment is being bedded in.

Other recommendations included:

• Impact at any stage of development (as long as it has taken place “beyond academia”) should be considered;
• Only impact within the REF assessment period should be assessed;
• Panels should produce more guidance about what constitutes an impact in particular disciplines, including “interim” and “fully-fledged” impacts;
• One impact per 10 submitted staff was the general rule, but further development needed for smaller units;
• The research underpinning the impact should be high quality (2* and above);
• Up to 15 years between initial research and impact is “broadly appropriate” provided the institution remains active in the relevant area.

The final weighting of impact in the REF will be decided early in the new year, after a further period of consultation with the sector according to David Sweeney in the Times Higher.