SPRE places a strong emphasis on how universities plan, support and maintain excellent research, recognising that good research depends on positive research cultures and environments. Institutions are required to explain how their research and strategies enable strong, inclusive and collaborative environments where all staff involved in research can thrive.
A key change is that SPRE is assessed through two statements:
- An institution-level statement (ILS) focusing on university-wide research and impact strategy
- Unit-level statements (ULS) addressing unit-level environments, representation, and research communities
Institutional-level statement
The ILS should explain the university’s overarching research and impact strategy, showing how the university creates conditions for excellent research across the whole institution. It should highlight strategic priorities, infrastructure, culture, and collaborative research environments. The ILS is a critical element of the REF submission, contributing 60% of the SPRE score and 12% of the overall REF submission score.
Unit-level statements
The ULS should focus on the specific research environment within each disciplinary unit. These statements should cover unit-level implementation of institution-level strategies and approaches, and support for their research communities. Three additional required elements include a statement of representation, a statement on research community and the unit’s approach to engagement and impact. The ULS contributes 40% of the SPRE score and should complement the ILS statement with discipline-specific detail, making sure it does not duplicate content in the ILS.
For any REF-related queries, you can contact ref@mailbox.lboro.ac.uk.