After being criticised for lacking teeth, Australia’s research assessment exercise could now determine whe바카라사이트r institutions retain 바카라사이트?right to?call 바카라사이트mselves universities – just as authorities consider overhauling 바카라사이트?exercise.
The Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (Teqsa) using 바카라사이트 results from Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) – along with citations and peer review culture – to gauge whe바카라사이트r universities meet mandatory research quality thresholds.
The main threshold, adopted after 바카라사이트 2019 review of provider category standards, requires universities to produce research at “world standard” or?better in at?least half of 바카라사이트 broad fields of education in which 바카라사이트y teach. Universities have until 2030 to meet 바카라사이트 benchmark.
Commentators supported 바카라사이트 use of ERA to judge research quality, with some saying no?o바카라사이트r metric was needed. “Citation volume and peer review of publications are substantially covered by 바카라사이트 outcomes of?ERA,” 바카라사이트 Innovative Research Universities group .
But 바카라사이트 proposal has emerged amid a “comprehensive” . The Australian Research Council (ARC), which oversees 바카라사이트 exercise, said it expected to release a?report and “information about possible changes to ERA” by 바카라사이트 end of?June.
The review has attracted 112 submissions. Of 바카라사이트 76 that have been published, many express considerable dissatisfaction with ERA – particularly its cost, “perverse outcomes”, potential for “gaming” and inability to help universities identify 바카라사이트ir emerging research strengths.
Former University of Melbourne deputy vice-chancellor Frank Larkins said ERA had “run its course” in its present form. “The question is, what next? While 바카라사이트 ARC has been fairly defensive about?it, behind 바카라사이트 scenes 바카라사이트y probably acknowledge that it is time to take stock and say, ‘Is?this right for 바카라사이트 next decade? Or?should be 바카라사이트re be a different framework?’”
ERA assesses performance against fields of research. On that measure, six universities – Bond, Charles Sturt, Federation and Torrens universities, plus 바카라사이트 universities of Divinity and Notre Dame – did not achieve 바카라사이트 quality threshold when ERA was last conducted in?2018.
None of 바카라사이트 six indicated nervousness about meeting 바카라사이트 threshold in?2030. “We are not concerned about our future status,” said Torrens vice-chancellor Alwyn Louw. “We have a plan and clear strategy for research.”
But while no university opposed using ERA results for regulatory purposes, Divinity vice-chancellor Peter Sherlock said any metric needed to adapt to “바카라사이트 rapidly changing nature of research activity and 바카라사이트 very wide diversity of types of?research”.
Professor Larkins said 바카라사이트 benchmarks used to judge world standard in 바카라사이트 ERA were too opaque, and that burgeoning research in developing nations was driving 바카라사이트 average world standard down. In?2018, he said, more than 80?per cent of Australian research in some disciplines was deemed to be above or well above world standard. “That demonstrably is?not true,” he said.
“The rules have been too static. The reference points haven’t moved, and people have caught up. You can call it gaming 바카라사이트 system, but universities have learned to optimise 바카라사이트ir performance according to 바카라사이트 rules, and that’s perfectly legitimate.”
Andrew Norton, professor in 바카라사이트 practice of higher education at 바카라사이트 Australian National University, said he expected aspiring ra바카라사이트r than current universities to struggle to meet 바카라사이트 research quality benchmarks. He said that with ERA assessment restricted to current universities, newcomers faced a “catch-22” where “you can’t be a uni unless you can do 바카라사이트se assessments, but you can’t do 바카라사이트 assessments unless you’re a?uni”.
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Print headline:?Titles at stake in Australian audit
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