REF 2021 impact case studies

A complete list of University research impact case studies submitted to the Research Excellence Framework 2021.

Our REF 2021 submission was one of the largest in the higher education sector, including a total of 160 impact case studies from across our three Faculties.

We submitted examples of our research impact to 31 subject areas – explore individual impact case studies and key researchers involved.

UOA 1 Clinical Medicine

UOA 2 Public Health, Health Services and Primary Care

UOA 3 Allied Health Professions, Dentistry, Nursing and Pharmacy

  • Falls prevention amongst older people: increased reach and further impact of interventions, uptake and adherence

    Key researchers: Chris Todd, Dawn Skelton, Jackie Oldham, Maria Horne
  • Improving health service support for family carers during end-of-life care: implementing a Carer Support Needs Assessment Tool Intervention (CSNAT-I) and principles for organisation change

    Key researchers: Gunn Grande, Lynn Austin, Janet Diffin

UOA 4 Psychology, Psychiatry and Neuroscience

  • Transforming long-term support for stroke survivors – developing and implementing clinical tools that informed national policy and improved regional and national service provision
  • World’s first effective treatment to prevent psychosis has been implemented as standard treatment in NHS mental health services across England

    Key researchers: Tony Morrison, Paul French, Richard Bentall, Linda Davies, Graham Dunn, Shon Lewis, Sophie Parker, Rory Byrne

UOA 5 Biological Science

  • The miRBase microRNA database – driving the development of commercial microRNA research tools, diagnostics and therapeutics

    Key researchers: Sam Griffiths-Jones, Ana Kozomara, Maria Birgaoanu

UOA 12 Engineering

UOA 13 Architecture, Built Environment and Planning

  • Strengthening planning for urban climate change adaptation and resilience

    Key researchers: Jeremy Carter, Stephen Hincks, John Handley, Angela Connelly

  • Ketso: improving professional practice and participation by embedding research findings into a physical toolkit

    Key researcher: Joanne Tippett

UOA 14 Geography and Environmental Studies

  • The Everyday Austerity project: shaping welfare policy and practice and shifting public understanding of the everyday impacts of austerity in the UK

    Key researcher: Sarah Marie Hall

UOA 16 Economics and Econometrics

  • Designing and implementing a new Kidney Exchange (DEC-K) programme in Italy

    Key researcher: Antonio Nicolò

  • Fuller working lives and the economics of ageing

    Key researcher: James Banks
  • Building analytical capacity, informing monetary and macroprudential policy, and strengthening policy frameworks in central banks in middle-income countries

    Key researchers: Pierre-Richard Agénor, Kyriakos Neanidis
  • Shaping the design of economic policy to reduce diet-related disease

    Key researcher: Rachel Griffith

UOA 17 Business and Management Studies

  • Addressing workplace bullying and harassment: building systems and competences for formal intervention

    Key researchers: Helge Hoel, Cary Cooper
  • Influencing innovation and servitisation in small and medium-sized enterprises in Manchester

    Key researchers: Judy Zolkiewski, Jamie Burton
  • The Foundational Economy: influencing economic policy and practice in Wales

    Key researchers: Julie Froud, Michael Moran, Karel Williams
  • Development and implementation of improved software and service systems in the European manufacturing industry

    Key researchers: Nikolay Mehandjiev, Iain Stalker, Martin Carpenter
  • Improving public and organisational policies on health and wellbeing in an ageing workforce

    Key researchers: Sheena Johnson, Helge Hoel, Lynn Holdsworth

UOA 18 Law

  • Shaping administrative justice policymaking

    Key researcher: Robert Thomas
  • Shaping COVID-19 vaccination policy and practice

    Key researcher: Søren Holm

  • Protecting Education Rights in Russian Law and through International Standards

    Key researchers: Maria Smirnova, Christopher Thornhill

UOA 19 Politics and International Studies

  • Strengthening political representation and advocacy of the Roma community in Slovenia

    Key researchers: Andreja Zevnik, Andrew Russell

  • Informing British democracy: the impact of the British Election Study on the media, polling, and political party decision making

    Key researchers: Edward Fieldhouse, Jane Green, Chris Prosser, Jonathan Mellon
  • Jam and justice: shaping policy through co-production

    Key researcher: Liz Richardson
  • Increasing the integrity of the British elections while protecting the rights of the individual voters

    Key researcher: Maria Sobolewska

UOA 21 Sociology

  • Ensuring more effective and safer data sharing practices through the Anonymisation Decision Making Framework

    Key researchers: Mark Elliot, Elaine Mackey
  • The impact of research on work, stress and wellbeing on influencing employment policies and public campaigns on improving working conditions

    Key researcher: Tarani Chandola
  • Age-friendly cities: improving the lives of older people in urban communities through research

    Key researchers: Tine Buffel, Chris Phillipson

UOA 22b Social Anthropology

  • Shaping public debate and policy on cosmetic procedures in the UK

    Key researcher: Jeanette Edwards
  • The establishment of a Catholic family centre for Papua New Guineans in Cairns, Far North Queensland

    Key researcher: Karen Sykes
  • Reframing understandings of the sonic environment in Okinawa, Japan

    Key researcher: Rupert Cox

UOA 23 Education

  • New-generation children's zones: supporting schools and their partners to implement long-term sustainable change in disadvantaged areas

    Key researchers: Kirstin Kerr, Alan Dyson, Carlo Raffo

  • Transforming wellbeing provision in education: changing the way that schools identify, monitor and provide support for mental health needs among their pupils

    Key researchers: Neil Humphrey, Michael Wigelsworth, Kirstin Kerr, Pam Qualter
  • Promoting equity in undergraduate admissions

    Key researcher: Steven Jones

UOA 25 Area Studies

UOA 26 Modern Languages and Linguistics

  • Enhancing delivery of multilingual support services for domestic abuse survivors

    Key researcher: Rebecca Tipton

  • Bertolt Brecht’s legacy: enhancing understanding, stimulating debate and influencing creative practice

    Key researcher: Stephen Parker
  • Conflict with Russia in the new information environment: shaping policy analysis, broadcaster practices and public understanding

    Key researchers: Steve Hutchings, Vera Tolz
  • Influencing local government strategies and European policy discussion on Eastern European Roma migrants

    Key researcher: Yaron Matras
  • Supporting social inclusion and justice through enhanced understanding and recognition of language diversity

    Key researcher: Yaron Matras

UOA 27 English Language and Literature

  • Changing public perception and creative practice around the Irish migrant experience in Britain

    Key researcher: Liam Harte
  • Show me the money: improving public and professional understanding of economics and finance

    Key researcher: Peter Knight

UOA 28 History

  • History for humanitarians: developing and deploying historical methods for humanitarian agencies and policymakers

    Key researchers: Bertrand Taithe, Eleanor Davey
  • Corpses of mass violence: changing practice in forensic exhumations

    Key researcher: Jean-Marc Dreyfus
  • Sleeping on it: using history to understand and address today's sleep crisis

    Key researcher: Sasha Handley

UOA 29 Classics

  • The circulation of ancient manuscripts on the antiquities market: improving the ethical and regulatory practices and standards of market stakeholders

    Key researcher: Roberta Mazza
  • Cultural protection in post-conflict Iraq

    Key researcher: Stuart Campbell

UOA 30 Philosophy

  • Climate Just: mapping climate disadvantage

    Key researcher: John O'Neill
  • Flood re: flood insurance and social justice

    Key researcher: John O'Neill

UOA 31 Theology and Religious Studies

  • Enhancing church practitioner training, public understanding and the work of Christian communicators through a new paradigm for explaining early Christian diversity

    Key researcher: Peter Oakes

UOA 32 Art and Design: History, Practice and Theory

  • "I am Tibetan, this is my story": developing new museological approaches to the representation of Tibet

    Key researcher: Emma Martin
  • Developing a museum policy and practice for the curation of spontaneous memorials after terrorist attacks and their use for post-trauma recovery

    Key researcher: Kostas Arvanitis

UOA 33b Music

  • Sonic adventures: enhancing cultural experiences through geolocative audio and interactive composition

    Key researcher: Ricardo Climent