Research environment

The assessment period for research environment in REF2014 was 1 January 2008 to 31 July 2013.

The assessment of the research environment narrative and indicators contributed 15% of the overall assessment. Research environment was assessed on the 'vitality and sustainability' of both the submitted unit and its contribution to the wider research base.

Each submission included:

• Environment data (REF4a/b/c): Statistics on doctoral degrees awarded and research income.
• Environment template (REF5): Narrative describing the submitting unit's research environment.

Environment data (REF4a/b/c)

Each submission included data to inform the assessment of research environment, as follows:

• Research doctoral degrees awarded (REF4a) - Number of research doctoral degrees awarded in each academic year 01 August 2008 to 31 July 2013 to students supervised within the submitted unit.  This data was taken from the College's annual Student Record return to the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) and presented to the panels by year.
• Research Income (REF4b) - External research income (spend on research grants and contracts) in each academic year 01 August 2008 to 31 July 2013 by the submitted unit.  This data was taken from the College's annual Financial Statistics Return (FSR) to HESA and presented to the panels by academic year and funder group.
• Research Income-in-kind (REF4c) - Estimated value of Research Council facility time allocated through peer review and used by staff in submitted units.  For UoAs 1-6 this also included the estimated value of equivalent income-in-kind from health research funding bodies.  This data was provided by HEFCE directly to institutions for inclusion in the submissions, presented to panels alongside research income by year and funder group.

Each panel received a set of standard analyses of the quantitative data submitted in REF4a/b/c.

Environment template (REF5)

Each submission included a single completed REF5 narrative consisting of:

Additional information

• People - Staffing strategy and staff development: some panels may, by exception, require data on the number of research assistants in post on the staff census date;
• People - Research students: in addition to the data submitted in REF4a, some panels may, by exception, require data on the number of postgraduate research (PGR) students registered during the assessment period;
• Income, infrastructure and facilities: in addition to the data submitted in REF4b/c, some panels may, by exception, require data on the number of technical support staff in post on the staff census date;

Where a submission to a single UoA included multiple distinct 'departments', there was no expectation that the environment narrative would describe a single cohesive unit. Distinct discipline differences were encouraged.