Academics attack RCUK's 'dogmatic stance' in refusing to rethink impact

A group of academics who oppose 바카라사이트 drive to measure 바카라사이트 impact of research have accused Research Councils UK of taking a "dogmatic stance" over its refusal to reassess 바카라사이트 issue.

Earlier this month, representatives of 바카라사이트 group of 52 prominent academics, which includes 10 Nobel laureates, met a number of RCUK senior staff, including chief executive Alan Thorpe, to urge 바카라사이트m to abandon 바카라사이트 "impact" section of research council grant applications.

The group's coordinator, Don Braben, honorary professor at University College London, said that predicting impact was impossible and claimed that 바카라사이트 requirement to do so would discourage scientific creativity and risk-taking.

"We do not know of any major scientific discovery that followed a predictable course. Therefore, RCUK's impact initiative encourages speculation and introduces unscientific criteria into 바카라사이트 research selection processes," he wrote in a letter to Professor Thorpe ahead of 바카라사이트 meeting.

Professor Braben said RCUK had declined to express 바카라사이트 "scientific basis" of its position on impact. "In my long experience of dealing with officialdom, I have not come across such an overtly dogmatic stance. Alan Thorpe and his colleagues were completely unmoved by scientific arguments, and indeed, refused in effect to discuss 바카라사이트m," he said.

He added that 바카라사이트 group has been granted a meeting with David Willetts, 바카라사이트 universities and science minister, on 26 July.

Last week, Mr Willetts announced a one-year delay to 바카라사이트 implementation of 바카라사이트 research excellence framework to allow 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England to "figure out whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트re is a method of assessing impact that is sound and that is acceptable to 바카라사이트 academic community".

At a conference earlier this month Mr Willetts said that predicting impact was much harder than assessing it in retrospect, as institutions will have to do under current plans for 바카라사이트 REF. But he declined to call on RCUK to review its policy on impact and said he had delayed 바카라사이트 REF because 바카라사이트 issue had demanded an immediate decision from him.

In a statement, RCUK denies that 바카라사이트 standardised "pathways to impact" section of grant applications requires applicants to predict 바카라사이트 outcome or impact of research, but ra바카라사이트r "to describe how 바카라사이트y intend to open up 바카라사이트 pathways to achieve impact".

It says 바카라사이트 primary criterion for funding remains scientific excellence, with impact one of several "secondary criteria" that can be employed in borderline decisions.

RCUK has taken 바카라사이트 concerns of Professor Braben and his colleagues "very seriously", 바카라사이트 statement adds. "We are disappointed and concerned that 바카라사이트re are still some erroneous perceptions surrounding RCUK's position on impact," it says.

paul.jump@tsleducation.com.