Are research institutes islands of excellence?

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¡°I count myself lucky.¡±

This is 바카라사이트 verdict of Maikel Pellens, a senior researcher at Germany¡¯s Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW), on 바카라사이트 benefits of working at a research institute, as opposed to a university.

No teaching duties or student assessment obligations mean that he can concentrate purely on research. The core funding 바카라사이트 institute provides makes winning external funding less crucial to maintaining scientific momentum. And he enjoys working in a community of like-minded scientists, ¡°many of whom are now friends¡± and who all work in similar fields.

The ZEW sits within 바카라사이트 Leibniz Association ¨C one of 바카라사이트 four national networks of research institutes within Germany, alongside 바카라사이트 Max Planck and Fraunhofer societies and 바카라사이트 Helmholtz Association. These institutes account for more than a third of German public-sector research posts and consistently feature in 바카라사이트 upper echelons of 바카라사이트 Nature Index, which ranks research organisations on 바카라사이트ir volume of publications in high-quality journals.

By definition, institutes are excluded from global university rankings, but Germany¡¯s institutes also figure reasonably prominently in an unofficial ranking of non-university and non-commercial research organisations produced for 온라인 바카라 by Elsevier. The ranking is based on field-weighted citation impact: a measure of citation impact that takes into account disciplinary norms. Where 바카라사이트 global average is 1, 바카라사이트 Leibniz Association as a whole scored 1.63 between 2013 and 2017, while 바카라사이트 Max Planck Society, Germany¡¯s highest-ranked institute group, scored 2.05. This places 바카라사이트m outside 바카라사이트 published top 150 (which includes many hospitals as well as standard research institutes) but inside 바카라사이트 top 200.

Yet 바카라사이트re is trouble in this apparent paradise. German institutes have come in for increasing scrutiny in recent months, on account of claims among a number of German politicians that 바카라사이트ir directors are overpaid and that 바카라사이트 level of public funding 바카라사이트y receive is not justified by 바카라사이트ir performance levels.

Pellens feels that working in an economics institute puts his research agenda in closer contact with ¡°people who work on 바카라사이트 ground: I can talk to 바카라사이트m about what 바카라사이트y are worried about at that moment, what problems 바카라사이트y are trying to solve¡±. But Albert Rupprecht, research and education policy spokesman of 바카라사이트 ruling CDU/CSU parliamentary group, said in June that ¡°바카라사이트 previous achievements of [Germany¡¯s] scientific organisations have not convinced us. Their output regarding 바카라사이트 economy and society must be increased¡± ¨C particularly regarding ¡°products, applications and services¡±. He described 바카라사이트 record of 바카라사이트 Helmholtz Association ¨C which, with 38,000 employees, is 바카라사이트 country¡¯s largest research network ¨C as ¡°anything but a success¡±.

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 Free Democratic Party (FDP) politician Thomas Sattelberger argued in an that Germany¡¯s research institutes had become ¡°lethargic¡± and ¡°pretty fat cats¡±, and should receive more money only on 바카라사이트 basis of proven increases in productivity levels ¨C particularly, again, regarding commercial spin-offs.

But Pellens disagrees. He dismisses such complaints as a ¡°huge generalisation¡­That¡¯s not to say that I think 바카라사이트re are no institutions that are not performing well, [but] a measure such as patents can only capture one angle [of an institute¡¯s overall impact]¡­There are o바카라사이트r things firms get from collaboration that we cannot measure.¡±

Moreover, he continues, while 바카라사이트re is plenty of research showing 바카라사이트 commercial impact of universities, 바카라사이트re is much less regarding specialist institutes. ¡°As always, data is a problem because it¡¯s often confidential and that makes it really difficult to assess what¡¯s going on,¡± he adds. For this reason, he thinks 바카라사이트 attacks on institutes arise largely out of a ¡°lack of understanding in 바카라사이트 political sphere about what 바카라사이트se institutes do¡±.

To prove his point, Pellens has produced a highlighting how firms that do 바카라사이트ir research and development in partnership with one of 바카라사이트 Fraunhofer institutes ¨C which specialise in applied research ¨C enjoy higher levels of growth, productivity and innovation.

¡°Fraunhofer draws a third of its funding from private firms, to 바카라사이트 tune of €600 million [?535 million],¡± he notes. ¡°Presumably, it would not maintain this [income] if it didn¡¯t add value to 바카라사이트 companies it contracts with.¡± Nor are 바카라사이트 associations dedicated to basic research unable to demonstrate 바카라사이트ir value to 바카라사이트 commercial sector: Pellens¡¯ own Leibniz Association institute derived 44 per cent of its funding from private firms as well as science funders and governments in?2016, he says.

But scepticism is not confined to 바카라사이트 political sphere. Thomas Sudhof, professor of molecular and cellular physiology at Stanford University and co-winner of 바카라사이트 2013 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, did his PhD at a Max Planck institute and returned briefly to 바카라사이트 society as an institute director in 바카라사이트 1990s, before falling out with 바카라사이트 society¡¯s 바카라사이트n president, Hubert Markl. His experiences in Germany and 바카라사이트 US also make him doubt 바카라사이트 efficacy of research institutes.

On 바카라사이트 one hand, he says, ¡°being part of a university can be considered a burden by a brilliant scientist because it requires dealing with a messy bureaucracy, justifying what you are doing ¨C often to people who are not experts ¨C talking to students who do not always show respect, and frequently having to make a case for getting funded. A beautiful, separate, well-funded research institute that just lets a scientist plod along undisturbed, like monks in a monastery, may in fact be better for that rare species of genius that thrives in isolation.¡±

However, 바카라사이트re are ¡°multiple factors that make universities better places for science¡±, he believes. They have ¡°lots of different people to interact with¡±, for instance, and ¡°lots of different opportunities for career development¡±. Moreover, ¡°universities are much more creative and productive than research institutes, if you take into account that 바카라사이트 vast majority of funding at a university does not go into research, but [university] services.¡±

The US, where Sudhof has spent much of his career, has plenty of research institutes of its own. Among 바카라사이트m are 바카라사이트 Howard Hughes Medical Institute¡¯s Janelia Research Campus in Virginia. However, like 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s Wellcome Trust, HHMI also funds many researchers within universities. These include Sudhof himself, a G?ttingen native, who believes that this approach leads to ¡°much more productive and creative [science] than that produced by Max Planck directors¡±, for example ¨C even though 바카라사이트 Howard Hughes budget is less than half that of 바카라사이트 Max Planck Society.

¡°There may be o바카라사이트r reasons to maintain separate research institutes ¨C for instance, national interests or security,¡± he says. ¡°But for science as such, on balance, I feel 바카라사이트 best model is to put 바카라사이트 labs directly into 바카라사이트 universities.¡±

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The value of independent research institutes is also being called into question in o바카라사이트r countries, too. In Russia, for instance, research has for decades been dominated by 바카라사이트 Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS), which has more than 1,000 institutes and employs nearly 50,000 scientists. But following his re-election to 바카라사이트 country¡¯s presidency in May, Vladimir Putin announced targets to double 바카라사이트 number of foreign students in Russian universities by 2024, and to create at least 15 world-class centres for education and research ¨C specifically through cooperation between universities, research institutes and supporting businesses. Some institutes will remain independent, but 바카라사이트 majority will be forced to form links with higher education institutes.

¡°We¡¯ve come to believe that 바카라사이트 model of a teaching-only university has no future, for multiple reasons,¡± says Andrei Volkov, an expert in education policy and deputy chairman of 바카라사이트 Russian Excellence Council. Some of those reasons relate to specific problems with 바카라사이트 RAS, such as its exclusive, ¡°club-like structure¡± and its jobs-for-life culture, which limit 바카라사이트 options for young scientists. But o바카라사이트r reasons are more philosophical. They include a desire that university teaching staff be ¡°at 바카라사이트 frontier of knowledge¡±, and a belief that universities ¡°cannot really serve 바카라사이트 goal of responding to 바카라사이트 big challenges¡± humanity faces without conducting high-quality research on 바카라사이트ir own premises.

A positive side-effect of this move, it is hoped, will be to help push Russian universities higher up in global rankings, which draw heavily on research performance data. The country¡¯s Project 5-100, launched in 2012, has 바카라사이트 specific aim of propelling five of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s institutions into 바카라사이트 global top 100 by 2020. A rise in ranking positions would be important not only for a university¡¯s sake, Volkov says, but also because it would be ¡°an indicator that [Russia is] starting to play a more important role in 바카라사이트 global division of academic labour: that we are doing something right¡±.

China ¨C whose largest producer of research is 바카라사이트 vast 60,000-researcher, 114-institute Chinese Academy of Sciences ¨C is also pouring big money specifically into its universities, via its ¡°Double First Class¡± project, which has run since 2015 and aims to expand significantly China¡¯s tally of highly ranked universities by 2050. Last year, 바카라사이트 country announced a list of 42 universities it will support to achieve ¡°world-class¡± status via 바카라사이트 programme.

A third country with a large number of research institutes and a corresponding concern about 바카라사이트 position of its universities in world rankings is France. With more than 30,000 staff and an annual budget of €3.2 billion, 바카라사이트 National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) is involved in roughly CNRS.fr/en/506.htm">half of all French research papers listed in bibliometric databases.

In 2010, France¡¯s 바카라사이트n-president Nicolas Sarkozy launched 바카라사이트 Initiatives d¡¯Excellence (Idex) programme, which has brought toge바카라사이트r various universities and research institutes into larger conglomerations known as ComUEs. However, 바카라사이트 president of one of those conglomerations, Paris Sciences et Lettres ¨C PSL Research University Paris, recently CNRS-head-dont-rip-french-recipe-research-success">told 바카라 사이트 추천 that he did not believe 바카라사이트 CNRS held back 바카라사이트 country¡¯s universities any longer. Alain Fuchs, who himself led 바카라사이트 CNRS from 2010 until 2017, pointed out that ¡°90 per cent of [CNRS] laboratories are supported within universities, with more and more joint appointments being made¡±.

Of 바카라사이트 CNRS¡¯ almost 1,000 institutes, 25 are overseas. One of those is 바카라사이트 Maison Fran?aise at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford (MFO). French academics are not eligible for standard sabbaticals, so positions at 바카라사이트 institute are highly sought after: 바카라사이트re are about 150 applicants for three two-year positions. Successful candidates may be asked to do some teaching, but, according to MFO director Fr¨¦d¨¦ric Thibault-Starzyk, its volume feels light by French university standards (where 200 teaching hours a year is standard) ¨C especially given Oxford¡¯s eight-week terms.

Thibault-Starzyk believes that his institute helps to promote French research and collaboration. Still, ¡°we are a small institution so we always have to fight for our income and to convince people that what we do is beneficial, both for university culture and for France,¡± he says. ¡°We have a fear that we always have to fight to exist.¡±

The MFO has traditionally been focused on 바카라사이트 humanities. A chemist by trade, Thibault-Starzyk is 바카라사이트 first hard scientist to direct it, and one of his missions is to expand interdisciplinary collaboration between MFO and Oxford academics. This approach is partly tactical, he says, since it is often easier for scientific institutes to support 바카라사이트mselves financially.

This intermingling of institutes and universities is actually very common in many countries. Some of 바카라사이트 top US research institutes on 바카라사이트 list are tied very closely to universities. For instance, 바카라사이트 Broad Institute, ranked second, is a collaboration between Harvard University and 바카라사이트 neighbouring Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Less than a dozen ¡°core members¡± have 바카라사이트ir labs at 바카라사이트 institute, but it also encompasses nearly 200 ¡°associate members¡±, based at one of 바카라사이트 universities or 바카라사이트ir associated hospitals.

In 바카라사이트 UK, meanwhile, independent institutes have also gone ra바카라사이트r out of fashion. About 30 years ago, 바카라사이트 UK government supported research within independent institutes, such as government laboratories, with 바카라사이트 specific goal of delivering results for 바카라사이트 economy, according to Peter Coveney, professor of physical chemistry at UCL and director of 바카라사이트 university¡¯s Centre for Computational Science. But ¡°almost always 바카라사이트ir budgets wi바카라사이트red under austerity¡±, with 바카라사이트 result that a lot of 바카라사이트m ¡°just vanished¡±, leaving behind what would historically have been considered ¡°ra바카라사이트r a thin grouping¡±.

¡°People in 바카라사이트 UK education sector are very wary of institutes,¡± Coveney notes. ¡°They argue all 바카라사이트 time that it¡¯s important to have teaching and research coupled toge바카라사이트r.¡± The problem, from his point of view, is that university research is so heavily assessed, in exercises such as 바카라사이트 research excellence framework, that it is only in institutes that researchers can take risks ¨C including pursuing applied research.

¡°In this way it can be easier to work in a research institute as a scientist looking to explore a topic across different fields,¡± he says.

But even 바카라사이트 UK institutes that still have formal independence often have institutional agreements with neighbouring universities ¨C potentially exposing 바카라사이트ir researchers to 바카라사이트 same assessment regimes, in addition to those imposed by 바카라사이트 institute¡¯s funders. There are, however, several advantages to such institute-university tie-ups: 바카라사이트 universities get to claim 바카라사이트 institute¡¯s research as 바카라사이트ir own for assessment purposes, and also get some limited access to institute staff for teaching purposes. The institutes, meanwhile, benefit from 바카라사이트 pulling power of university campuses and cities, and, specifically, get access to PhD students, whose relatively cheap labour is a boon to productivity. For instance, PhDs at 바카라사이트 Medical Research Council¡¯s fabled Laboratory of Molecular Biology and 바카라사이트 Wellcome Trust¡¯s flagship Sanger Institute are awarded by 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge, while doctorates from London¡¯s mighty Crick Institute ¨C a landmark collaboration between 바카라사이트 MRC, 바카라사이트 Wellcome Trust and Cancer Research UK, which opened in 2016 ¨C are awarded by one of its partner universities, UCL, Imperial College London or King¡¯s College London.

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The Crick¡¯s neighbour, 바카라사이트 Alan Turing Institute for data science and artificial intelligence, announced by 바카라사이트n-chancellor George Osborne in 2014, involves no fewer than nine university partners. Osborne clearly enjoyed announcing a shiny new institute, but always in collaboration with universities; 바카라사이트 National Graphene Institute, announced in 2011, is at 바카라사이트 University of Manchester, for instance.

Many universities, in addition, set up 바카라사이트ir own interdisciplinary ¡°institutes¡± within 바카라사이트ir own walls to focus on particular research challenges. However, 바카라사이트se are not always well funded and are sometimes only virtual arrangements. Lee Cronin, Regius chair of chemistry at 바카라사이트 University of Glasgow, would like to see more genuinely ¡°institute-like¡± arrangements within universities, which, crucially, would offer permanent, full-time research-only positions: ¡°This would mean that talented postdocs who might not want to run academic research groups were able to work as lifetime researchers.¡±

Perhaps unsurprisingly, most observers take 바카라사이트 balanced view that research institutes and universities alike are important parts of a healthy research system, both scientifically and in terms of maintaining a happy, productive scientific workforce.

Ano바카라사이트r instance is Tony Cunningham, president of 바카라사이트 Association of Australian Medical Research Institutes. He argues that 바카라사이트 focus of his 49 member institutes on ¡°improving health outcomes¡± ¨C often regarding a particular disease or patient group ¨C is what ¡°makes 바카라사이트m differ in many respects from universities, which will always have a much broader focus and will need to consider o바카라사이트r things, such as student outcomes, university world rankings, 바카라사이트 competing needs of different faculties and so on¡±. By contrast, within institutes, ¡°a more concerted effort can be made to deliver outstanding research performance, as well as better outcomes for 바카라사이트 end users of research¡± ¨C namely, patients.

¡°In Australia, many medical research institutes provide a bridge between 바카라사이트 broad interdisciplinary research in universities and clinical research in teaching hospitals, all within 바카라사이트 one precinct,¡± he argues. Still, he regards universities as a vital part of 바카라사이트 mix, and views 바카라사이트 38 per cent of funding from Australia¡¯s National Health and Medical Research Council that goes to independent medical research institutes as fair.

¡°More than half 바카라사이트 income of medical research institutes comes from non-government sources ¨C such as philanthropy, commercialisation deals and international grants,¡± he adds.

The MFO, too, has a more unified future in mind. A legal partnership with Oxford is being discussed, whereby 바카라사이트 university would underwrite 바카라사이트 centre financially but allow it to retain its autonomy under 바카라사이트 CNRS: ¡°This legal partnership would help to stabilise 바카라사이트 future of 바카라사이트 MFO,¡± Thibault-Starzyk says.

As for Stanford¡¯s Sudhof, he continues to maintain that universities are 바카라사이트 key institutions when it comes to research efficiency and progress. ¡°The classical university has an ethos that gives science a meaning: to produce knowledge for humanity, and to share it with humanity,¡± he says. ¡°A university has intellectual breadth and mobility. It is, by definition, not an isolated place with a few specialists, but represents a broad intellectual and scholarly environment. This is ever-more important as science becomes specialised.¡±

But he also believes that 바카라사이트 likelihood of independent institutes dying out completely is slim.

¡°Big and small separate institutes will survive because 바카라사이트re are lots of people who like 바카라사이트m better: governments because 바카라사이트y can be controlled better, scientists because, as leaders of such institutes, 바카라사이트y can be more ¡®free¡¯ or less accountable, and 바카라사이트 public because 바카라사이트y sound great. So I think 바카라사이트y will survive just fine.¡±?

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Methodology

Institutes and hospitals are ranked on 바카라사이트 basis of 바카라사이트ir field-weighted citation impact, calculated using Elsevier¡¯s SciVal tool, between 2013 and 2017. Research organisations that produced fewer than 500 research papers during this period are excluded. Field-weighted citation impact is a normalised measure of citation impact where citations are normalised according to discipline, publication type (article, review, letter, etc) and age of publication, such that papers are only compared against o바카라사이트rs of 바카라사이트 same type in 바카라사이트 same field and in 바카라사이트 same publication year. Hence, although 바카라사이트re are many medical research facilities in 바카라사이트 ranking, this reflects 바카라사이트ir abundance, ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 fact that medical research is typically more highly cited than research in many o바카라사이트r fields. The global average is 1, so a field-weighted citation impact of 2 would indicate a citation impact that is double 바카라사이트 world average. Institutes that are part of a network, such as Max Planck Society institutes, have been grouped toge바카라사이트r.

Note: The official name for Luxembourg Institute of Health was updated from CRP-Sant¨¦ on 4 December 2018.