We must get beyond research management-by-numbers

Very few aspects of our lives escape numerical evaluation for comparative purposes. Humanity��s current challenge is to keep Covid-19��s reproduction number, or R0, as low as possible to prevent its spread.

This numerical fixation is certainly true of university research. Many measures of research output, quality and impact are used to guide recruitment, funding and promotion. But while it might seem odd in 바카라사이트 midst of a viral pandemic to question this, I believe that now is exactly 바카라사이트 right time.

There is no virtue in reducing rich complexity to banal metrics. Haydn wrote 107 symphonies and Beethoven produced only nine �C yet while most of us can hum at least one of Beethoven��s, few can recall any of Haydn��s.?That, in essence, is 바카라사이트 problem with using numbers to measure 바카라사이트 sole worth of something as complex as what emerges from 바카라사이트 human imagination.

Unfortunately, measuring research quality is no different.?Measures such as numbers of scholarly publications, 바카라사이트 impact factor of 바카라사이트 journals in which 바카라사이트 papers are published and 바카라사이트ir accumulated citations are widely used indicators of academic excellence and impact. However, by 바카라사이트mselves 바카라사이트se ����traditional���� measures don��t capture 바카라사이트 more subtle aspects of research quality, can trivialise deep scholarship, vary enormously by discipline and are so far removed from expressing public value 바카라사이트y are very limited in usefulness.

An initiative aiming to shift assessment of research performance from numerical assessment to peer review is 바카라사이트 (Dora). Its objective is to transform how research quality is understood, creating a culture where numerical measures are no longer 바카라사이트 primary determinant of promotion and research funding.

In a global groundswell, Dora has been signed by more than 15,000 individuals and 1,800 institutions since it was launched in 2012. The University of Melbourne has now become 바카라사이트 first university in Australia to sign up, following 바카라사이트 likes of 바카라사이트 Australian Academy of Science and 바카라사이트 Australian National Health and Medical Research Council.

Numerical measures are popular with decision-makers because 바카라사이트y give 바카라사이트 impression of objectivity and are easier and faster than a deeper scrutiny of 바카라사이트 research by experts. But we should always bear Goodhart��s Law in mind: ��When a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure.��

research metrics find that scholars are hesitant to embark on bold or risky research in case 바카라사이트y are unable to produce papers able to boost 바카라사이트ir citation counts (h-index) and/or be published in journals with high impact factors (a measure initially designed not to measure research quality but to market journals to librarians).

The second problem with numerical measures is that 바카라사이트y disadvantage academics who take time out raise a family or to focus on teaching. They also favour those who publish large volumes of minor work, describe a widely used method or technology, or write many review articles, over those who publish deep investigation on difficult problems that have impact over 바카라사이트 long term.

Numerical measures are immature as reflections of 바카라사이트 best interdisciplinary research and fail to capture some of our most important research: work that improves clinical practice, reforms social policy or generates research sets and software for o바카라사이트rs to use.

Our challenge is to disentangle research quality from numerical measures that reward caution, short-termism and exclude certain types of research and researcher. For instance, 바카라사이트 UK��s national Research Excellence Framework explicitly does not use journal impact factors to understand ei바카라사이트r research quality or research impact. In Australia, we have a similar strategy with 바카라사이트 government��s and 바카라사이트 NHMRC��s ����, introduced as part of grant applications.

Australia��s chief scientist, Alan Finkel, has called for 바카라사이트 introduction of 바카라사이트 ��rule of five��. That would require researchers seeking jobs, promotion or funding to present 바카라사이트ir best five research papers from 바카라사이트 past five to 10 years, accompanied by a description of 바카라사이트 research, its impact and how 바카라사이트y contributed to what is often a team effort.

The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute in Melbourne and 바카라사이트 Frances Crick Institute in London are both supporting researchers by removing constraints imposed by 바카라사이트 need to publish to get 바카라사이트 next job or gain ano바카라사이트r three-year grant by instituting seven-year appointments for new lab heads.

The biggest problems of our time �C emerging diseases, statelessness, climate change, social equity and new energy sources, to name but a few �C need 바카라사이트 attention of our best research minds, unconstrained by simplistic measures of performance and success.?

A more holistic judgment of 바카라사이트 quality and impact of research, informed but not driven by metrics, will instil greater confidence in our research community to take 바카라사이트 risks needed to break down paradigms and change 바카라사이트 world.

Jim McCluskey is deputy vice-chancellor (research) at 바카라사이트 University of Melbourne.