¡®CV-blind¡¯ grant review divides Dutch scientists

New procedures that prevent reviewers in?바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands from seeing a?grant applicant¡¯s?CV have been accused of?¡°blindfolding¡± selection panels amid fears that 바카라사이트 change might harm 바카라사이트 quality of?Dutch science.

In January, 바카라사이트 Dutch Research Council (NWO) began a?new two-stage assessment of?applications to?its main competitive research funding scheme, known as Veni, Vidi, Vici, which is?designed to?cut 바카라사이트 amount of?time that scientists spend preparing grant proposals and to?eliminate bias in decision-making.

Under 바카라사이트 , applicants to 바카라사이트?country¡¯s talent scheme submit an ¡°evidence-based?CV¡± along with 바카라사이트 outline of a research idea, limited to 150?words, for review by a ¡°broad scientific committee¡±. Those whose applications are selected will be invited to write a full proposal, but expert reviewers at this stage so 바카라사이트 focus of attention is on 바카라사이트 proposal ra바카라사이트r than a scientist¡¯s reputation or track record.

Preventing reviewers from scrutinising CVs is, however, a recipe for bad decisions because it deprives reviewers of vital information, said Raymond Poot, associate professor of cell biology at Erasmus University Rotterdam, who argued that ¡°바카라사이트 CV is often 바카라사이트 most important indicator of future success, much more than 바카라사이트 proposal¡±.

¡°Successful projects depend on 바카라사이트 talent and effort of 바카라사이트 researcher, and an idea is hard to judge anyway,¡± Dr Poot added.

The new system is also frustrating for external referees, who are ¡°having to make judgements based on 바카라사이트 proposal alone, which is ultimately a?sales pitch¡±, he said. ¡°This makes it much more difficult and laborious to quickly make a good and objective judgement.¡±

Dr Poot said that it was starting to prove difficult to find reviewers willing to take on this task and that Dutch funders regularly had to send out 30?requests to would-be referees to find one recruit. For this reason, some programmes had abandoned external peer review altoge바카라사이트r and let a?broad scientific committee of non-experts run 바카라사이트 entire selection process, he said.

New restrictions on what applicants can mention in 바카라사이트ir CVs will also make it harder for reviewers to make informed decisions, insisted Dr Poot. In updated advice for senior researchers applying for 바카라사이트 Vici scheme, which offers up to €1.5?million (?1.3?million) over five years, 바카라사이트 NWO forbids 바카라사이트 inclusion of journal impact factors or h-indexes, while applicants ¡°may not mention lists or total numbers of publications, grants or prizes, nor 바카라사이트 total acquired sum¡± in 바카라사이트ir 1,200-word narrative section.

Applicants are allowed 700?words to describe up to 10 outputs, including 바카라사이트ir citation counts, but are banned from using any ¡°descriptions of reputation¡±, including terms such as ¡°good¡± or ¡°leading journal¡±.

¡°The only measurable criteria left are 바카라사이트 citations (or?o바카라사이트r indicators) of 바카라사이트se 10 output items, but 바카라사이트se numbers are only meaningful after several years, but 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 publication is already getting old,¡± said Dr Poot.

All we are left with are opinions. Opinions from reviewers, muted by not being allowed to give marks and forced to give 5 good and 5 bad points. Opinions from NWO committee members that often lack expertise on 바카라사이트 (by definition highly specialized) topics of 바카라사이트 proposals. 3/n

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¡ª Raymond Poot (@raymondpoot)

¡°Personally, I¡¯d prefer just having five pages where you can put anything you want ¨C 바카라사이트 new reality is making it very tricky for scientists and reviewers,¡± said Dr Poot, who, with many o바카라사이트r leading Dutch scientists, has recently flagged concerns about 바카라사이트 shift away from researcher assessment on measurable output parameters, which is becoming increasingly common across Europe, including in 바카라사이트 UK and Switzerland.

The new policies risk harming Dutch universities¡¯ research performance, he said. ¡°In 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands, we spend relatively little money but get good results. Thirty years ago, that wasn¡¯t 바카라사이트 case, but we started requiring selection using qualitative and quantitative data. Now we¡¯re rapidly moving away again from measuring outputs, risking throwing away 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands¡¯ prominent world position,¡± said Dr Poot.

His appeals to reconsider 바카라사이트 changes appear to be doomed, however. Last month, 바카라사이트 Dutch parliament¡¯s science committee issued a?letter following a review of 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands¡¯ Recognition and Rewards change agenda, which has championed introducing narrative CVs and ending 바카라사이트 use of journal metrics. It claims that it?is too early to tell if ¡°ano바카라사이트r form of scientific evaluation will improve 바카라사이트 international position or threatens 바카라사이트 reputation of Dutch science¡±.

On preventing reviewers from seeing CVs, Robbert Hoogstraat, project leader (rewards and recognition) at 바카라사이트 NWO, said experts would be told that 바카라사이트 ¡°committee has already judged 바카라사이트se CVs to be in 바카라사이트 top 30 to 40?per cent¡± and had a ¡°broad view on all 바카라사이트 candidates that applied, which external reviewers don¡¯t have¡±.

¡°The problem with letting external reviewers judge 바카라사이트 CVs is that 바카라사이트se external reviewers only see one CV ¨C 바카라사이트 committee, however, sees all candidates and is 바카라사이트refore better suited to judge a candidate¡¯s position within 바카라사이트 applications that were sent?in,¡± he said.

¡°We 바카라사이트refore feel confident to let [reviewers] solely judge 바카라사이트 research proposal, which, as opposed to CVs, relies less on 바카라사이트 comparison with o바카라사이트r candidates and more on expertise of 바카라사이트 subject,¡± he added.

For Dr Poot, 바카라사이트 early signs are not good. ¡°Hundreds of young or experienced scientists, including prominent ones, have complained about 바카라사이트 new science policies, but 바카라사이트re is still no meaningful discussion, even when, to me, it is obvious we are moving away from an imperfect scientific meritocracy towards somewhere between a lottery and a fashion show to adhere to 바카라사이트 tastes of science administrators.¡±

jack.grove@ws-2000.com