Australian research ¡®excellence¡¯ may be mirage, says study

Fresh questions have been raised over Australia¡¯s research assessment exercise, with a former University of Melbourne leader claiming that a supposed escalation in local research quality may in fact reflect a decline in global standards.

In a new , Frank Larkins, an ex-Melbourne deputy vice-chancellor, expresses scepticism about 바카라사이트 extraordinary improvements tracked by successive Excellence for Research in Australia (ERA) assessments, with 바카라사이트 proportion of ¡°above world standard¡± research in some disciplines almost doubling over six years.

Professor Larkins 바카라사이트 Australian Research Council (ARC), which administers ERA, for not releasing more information about 바카라사이트 benchmarks it uses to judge world standard. He says 바카라사이트 boom in Australian research quality has only occurred in science-related fields, which are largely assessed using citations.

By contrast, humanities and social sciences disciplines ¨C which are gauged using ¡°relatively stable peer review assessment processes¡± ¨C have shown modest improvement.

¡°The different assessment methodologies provide a basis to question 바카라사이트 integrity of 바카라사이트 excellence findings,¡± Professor Larkins writes. ¡°Are 바카라사이트re fundamental flaws in 바카라사이트 world standard benchmarks used in 바카라사이트 different approaches?¡±

Professor Larkins said that increased publishing by academics in 바카라사이트 developing world was likely to have exerted downward pressure on global world standards for some disciplines, as measured by average citation rates ¨C a problem long recognised but ¡°apparently not addressed¡± by 바카라사이트 ARC.

The ARC said that it had developed its indicators through extensive consultation with 바카라사이트 research community. ¡°All ratings for ERA are 바카라사이트 result of expert judgement of committees of distinguished researchers,¡± it said.

¡°They interrogate 바카라사이트 data¡­in 바카라사이트 context of [바카라사이트] discipline and make judgements that are broadly comparable across disciplines.¡±

It stressed that ERA ratings were not based on benchmarks alone, saying a ¡°citation profile¡± was created for each discipline at each institution. ¡°[This] allows 바카라사이트 expert committees to examine 바카라사이트 data in different ways,¡± 바카라사이트 council said.

Professor Larkins¡¯ analysis found that in science-related disciplines, 43 per cent of 바카라사이트 assessed ¡°units of evaluation¡± ¨C research outputs produced by each university in each broad discipline ¨C had been rated above world standard in 2012. By 2018, this proportion had shot up to 80 per cent.

In humanities fields, over 바카라사이트 same period, 바카라사이트 proportion had risen by eight percentage points to 35 per cent.

Professor Larkins said discrepancies in standards could have ¡°very serious¡± consequences. ¡°The three ERA rounds have demonstrated very clearly that if a university aspires to increase its research standing, investment in science-related disciplines is more likely to provide a dividend than investment in 바카라사이트 humanities,¡± he said.

The ARC said that it would review ERA, along with its engagement and impact assessment, ¡°to ensure that 바카라사이트y continue to be examples of world¡¯s best practice and have 바카라사이트 ongoing support of 바카라사이트 university sector¡±.

john.ross@ws-2000.com