UK universities preparing for the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2029 face growing scrutiny over how narrative descriptions of research environments will be evidenced and audited. Panellists and subject experts have met to clarify rules for “strategy, people and research environment” (SPRE), which accounts for 20% of an institution’s score. The main concern: narrative-driven SPRE statements may tempt institutions to embellish research culture claims, and AI tools could produce submissions that look indistinguishable while obscuring actual evidence quality. Panellists discussed auditing approaches and what qualifies as robust support for excellence claims. The final guidance is expected in autumn, with around £2 billion in annual block grant funding tied to REF outcomes—keeping compliance, documentation, and internal review processes on campuses under a microscope.