Academic impact is distinguished from external (societal, economic, policy) impact and refers to the influence of research within academic and research communities. Indicators include citations, methods adoption, theoretical influence, training of next-generation researchers, and incorporation into curricula. Academic impact is the traditional domain of bibliometric assessment and remains central in research evaluation, though responsible-assessment frameworks emphasise pairing it with qualitative review and recognising broader contributions.
References
- REF 2021 environment statement guidance. Penfield T et al. 'Assessment, evaluations and definitions of research impact' Research Evaluation 2014.