Engagement and Impact
Resources and guidance for Impact Case studies
Evidence Gathering: Guidance for gathering testimonies
- REF team Guide for testimonies (updated from REF2021 guidance)
- Information notice – developed with DPA
- Guide for testimonies and statements to corroborate impact - Stephen Kemp
4* Impact Case studies: Examples and information
In the REF initial decisions document, June 2023, the four UK funding bodies outlined proposals to reduce the minimum requirement to one impact case study for units with fewer than 9.99 FTE and to revise the boundaries.
The proposed number of Impact Case studies required in REF 2029 are outlined below however this is subject to change in Summer 2025 when Engagement and Impact Policy Expert panels meet to begin development of the guidance.
FTE of volume-contributing staff |
Required number of case studies |
Weighting of impact statement |
FTE of volume-contributing staff |
Required number of case studies |
Weighting of impact statement |
Up to 9.99 |
1 |
50% |
60 to 89.99 |
5 |
20% |
10 to 19.99 |
2 |
33.33% |
90 to 119.99 |
6 |
20% |
20 to 39.99 |
3 |
25% |
120 to 169.99 |
7 |
20% |
40 to 59.99 |
4 |
20% |
170 or more |
8, plus one further case study per additional 50 FTE |
20% |