Research Assessment Processes
Research assessment processes are fundamental to the research enterprise. Science Europe makes a number of recommendations for improving them.
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Research assessment processes are fundamental to the research enterprise. Science Europe makes a number of recommendations for improving them.
The Roadmap, approved by the Science Europe General Assembly in November 2013, is Science Europe’s action plan to contribute to the elements of a successful research system. It acts as a framework for voluntary collective activity, providing a long-term strategy for the association. The ‘Priority Action Areas’ are those in which Science Europe members believe that there is a potential to achieve tangible and substantive progress, and where they can add real value by working together.
Science Europe advocates using the notion of ‘value’ of research. This is wider than ‘impact’ and reflects the intrinsic value of scientific research and its capacity to generate new knowledge. This statement provides a series of key principles and actions for policy makers and research organisations to help bring forward a new vision of impact assessment.
The 2018 Science Europe Symposium took place in Brussels, Belgium. The topic was 'Interdisciplinarity'.
Released in partnership with the European University Association (EUA), this joint statement demonstrates a commitment to building a strong dialogue between members of both associations, who share the responsibility of developing and implementing more accurate, open, transparent, and responsible approaches that better reflects the evolution of research activity in the digital era.
Interdisciplinarity is increasingly used to tackle complex scientific questions and address large societal challenges. At the same time, the evaluation of interdisciplinary research proposals poses a set of problems, ranging from missing common standards and criteria to shortages of peer reviewers with experience in evaluating interdisciplinary research. At its third Symposium, Science Europe and its Scientific Advisory Committee brought together researchers and other experts experienced in interdisciplinarity with high-level representatives from Science Europe’s Member Organisations, who fund and perform such research.
In 2019, Science Europe conducted a flagship study on research assessment processes and practices. The study was developed and overseen by the Science Europe Task Force on Research Assessment and the Science Europe Office, and implemented by Technopolis Group Vienna.
Science Europe calls on research funding and performing organisations to continuously evaluate their research assessment processes to ensure that they are effective, efficient, fair, and transparent.
The Global Research Council (GRC) is convening a conference on Responsible Research Assessment to promote global discussion on how research organisations can drive a positive research culture through research assessment criteria and processes. The event, organised by UKRI, Research England, the National Research Foundation (South Africa), and the GRC will be held remotely on November 23–27.
Between 23 and 27 November, Global Research Council (GRC), UK Research and Innovation, Research England, and the National Research Foundation (South Africa) jointly hosted a conference addressing the concept of responsible research assessment.
One of the core purposes of research is the quest for and creation of new knowledge. Current research assessment processes were analysed in detail by Science Europe in its 2019/2020 study.
The year 2020 saw a global pandemic attest to the value of science. In the race for COVID-19 treatments and vaccines, Science Europe’s Member Organisations were at the forefront of the global response and our association became more relevant and important than ever.
On 25 November 2021, Science Europe releases a vision for Research Culture in the European Research Area (ERA) and commits to collective actions that enable a thriving research system.
The new statement on Research Culture envisages an ERA that focusses on the quality of research and its processes, supports scientific freedom, and promotes social diversity and inclusion, acknowledging that these conditions will, in turn, foster a productive research system.
In 2021, the European Commission conducted an extensive consultation on reforming the research assessment system. Science Europe and several of its members were involved in this consultation.
On Friday 25 February, the ERA Forum met for the first time to discuss the implementation of the ERA Action Plan and Council Conclusions on the new governance of the ERA.
The European Commission initiative to reform research assessment continues to develop at pace. A first public political announcement about the initiative was made as part of the Paris Open Science European Conference 2022 (OSEC2022) on 4 and 5 February.
The reform of research assessment initiative continues to take major steps forward, with several milestones on the horizon this month.
Science Europe welcomes the DFG position paper "Academic Publishing as a Foundation and Area of Leverage for Research Assessment" on two important and timely topics.
Science Europe welcomes the Council Conclusions on research assessment and open science as they recognise the need for a renewed approach to research policies and practices to evolve towards a more positive research culture.
The Council Conclusions are an important step in recognising the relevance of Open Science and reforming research assessment, which are two essential elements of the cultural shift that are necessary to put research quality and openness are the cornerstones of positive research cultures.
The European reform of research assessment initiative is taking shape, and the Reform of Research Assessment Agreement is almost final. Soon, the process of establishing a coalition before the end of 2022 will start.
On 10 June, the Competitiveness Council adopted Conclusions on Research Assessment and the Implementation of Open Science.
Science Europe will contribute to the EuroScience Open Forum (ESOF) 2022 with sessions on several key topics: the green and digital transition, research careers, open science, and the reform of research assessment systems.
For Science Europe, 2021 was a very important year: the association celebrated its 10th year of existence. Founded in 2011, it has grown into a respected and influential voice in the European research policy debate. Moreover, we published a new Strategy Plan for 2021–2026, which maps our collective objectives and sets a specific yet flexible action framework over the next five years.