REF Support Services

REF Support Services

To support institutions preparing for REF 2029, we are developing several structured services designed to build confidence, strengthen narrative quality, and support teams at different stages of readiness.

Each service provides a facilitated, reflective space to develop a shared understanding, sharpen impact thinking, or move into structured SPRE narrative development. Institutions can engage with any service individually or combine them as a staged package of support.

Read about the offers below and use the form to an express and interest in finding out more.

REF Planning: Orientation and Shared Understanding

“What is REF 2029 really asking us to explain?”

This in-depth full day workshop helps staff across an institution build a common understanding of the requirements, expectations, and intent behind REF 2029. It brings together researchers, professional services, and leaders to develop shared understanding of what REF 2029 is asking, surface assumptions and tensions, and build a common language around research excellence, engagement, and public value . It provides structured space for:

  • Sense‑making and guided dialogue
  • Surfacing assumptions
  • Clarifying interpretations of the framework
  • Building shared confidence before drafting begins

It is designed for institutions who are:

  • Early in their REF thinking
  • Beginning to shape internal understanding and alignment across roles
  • Preparing for key decisions or for early narrative work

 

Engagement & Impact: Clarifying How Research Creates Public Value

“How does our research contribute to change, and how do we explain that credibly?”

This half-day workshop supports researchers and enablers to develop stronger, more coherent impact thinking and narrative clarity. It focuses on:

  • Articulating contribution
  • Judgement‑ready logic and framing
  • Narrative coherence
  • Understanding how engagement activities enable change

The session invites participants to bring an impact case study in progress and work through how REF 2029 guidance applies in practice. Through structured prompts and exercises, participants:

  • Clarify the contribution their research makes
  • Understand how engagement connects to change
  • Strengthen the logic and evidencing in their narrative
  • Build confidence before drafting or revising

This session is primarily available as a 'train the trainer' offer, it is perfect for teams supporting the writing of impact case studies and once trained you can run the session several times in your institution.

SPRE Narrative Development: Articulating Stewardship and Strategy in Context

“How do we explain how our research system works, learns, and adapts over time?”

This service supports institutions ready to move from reflection into structured SPRE narrative development. It focuses on:

  • Narrative construction
  • Prioritisation and framing
  • Evidencing learning, adaptation, and stewardship

Delivered as a structured half‑day workshop, the service helps institutions:

  • Translate reflection into a coherent, defensible SPRE account
  • Explain how their research system operates in context
  • Demonstrate evolution since REF 2021
  • Build a strong foundation for SPRE drafting