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REF submission system environment data limits

The information on this page was published whilst the exercise was being conducted; this material is provided for background information only and will not be updated.

The REF submission system will limit the extent to which the environment (REF4) data returned in submissions can exceed the institution’s corresponding HESA data and the data provided by the UK Research Councils and health-related funding bodies.

These limits will be applied at the level of the whole institution, as the data are not held at the level of UOAs. Institutions will need to ensure that the REF4 data are submitted in the appropriate UOAs.

The submission system limits are as follows. The institution will not be able to submit if:

  • REF4a: The total number of research doctoral degrees awarded submitted by the HEI as a whole exceeds the total number of degrees awarded recorded in the HESA data by:

    • more than 20 awards and 5 per cent over the whole period 2008-09 to 2011-12; or  
    • more than 10 awards and 10 per cent in any academic year 2008-09 to 2011-12.

  • REF4b: The total amount of research income submitted by the HEI as a whole exceeds the total amount of income recorded in the HESA data by:

    • more than £200,000 and 5 per cent over the whole period 2008-09 to 2011-12; or
    • more than £100,000 and 10 per cent in any academic year 2008-09 to 2011-12; or
    • more than £100,000 and 10 per cent in any category of income over the whole period 2008-09 to 2011-12.

  • REF 4c: Either the Research Council’s income-in-kind or the health research funding bodies research income-in-kind (in UOAs 1 -6 only) submitted by the HEI as a whole exceeds the total amount of income-in-kind recorded by the Research Councils or the health research funding bodies by:

    • more than £100,000 and 5 per cent over the whole period 2008-09 to 2011-12; or
    • more than £50,000 and 10 per cent in any academic year 2008-09 to 2011-12.

When the submission system opens in January 2013 research income-in-kind system limits will be based on data received from UK Research Councils and health research funding bodies in Summer 2012. These limits will be updated in Summer 2013.