The SHAPE of Research Impact

The British Academy and the Academy of Social Sciences commissioned researchers at the Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science, University of Oxford to examine and uncover “the stories, successes and cumulative effects on people, the economy, policy and society of the impact of research in the SHAPE (Social Sciences, Humanities and the Arts for People and the Economy) disciplines” within the United Kingdom’s Research Excellence Framework 2021 (REF2021). The project was tendered via a competitive process to provide a robust evidence base for the higher education sector and policymakers to articulate the value of research and its impact on society in the UK and around the world. The report, an accompanying online dashboard, and an enhanced REF2021 dataset aim to serve as a starting point for the SHAPE community to explore the scope and reach of their evidence base. The report leverages the Research Excellence Framework 2021 Impact Case Study (ICS) dataset to reveal new insights about the contribution of SHAPE to the wellbeing of society, culture and the economy.