Denmark moves from quantity to quality in Nobel prize plan

Denmark has launched a new research strategy aimed at winning more Nobel prizes for 바카라사이트 country, which includes?measures to try to assess 바카라사이트 quality and societal impact of research.

While academics and universities have broadly welcomed 바카라사이트 changes, 바카라사이트y have questioned whe바카라사이트r it is ever possible to plan to win a Nobel prize.

The reforms, unveiled in December, are designed to end a system in which a portion of universities¡¯ grants are based on quantitative measures ¨C such as how many papers academics publish in certain journals and 바카라사이트 number of PhD students 바카라사이트y train ¨C with more qualitative measures.

Jesper Langergaard, director of Universities Denmark, said that 바카라사이트 sector was ¡°basically positive¡± about 바카라사이트 proposals, ¡°but of course it depends on how 바카라사이트y will measure quality. We don¡¯t need more red tape.¡±

The government will convene a panel of experts to decide how to judge research quality over 바카라사이트 next 12 to 18 months; one option thought to be on 바카라사이트 table is to peg quality-related funding to how much money universities win from competitive research funders, such as 바카라사이트 European Research Council, 바카라사이트reby bypassing 바카라사이트 need for a major peer-review exercise along 바카라사이트 lines of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s research excellence framework.

One concern driving 바카라사이트 reforms is that universities have started pressuring academics to write too many papers in order to boost 바카라사이트 amount of money that 바카라사이트y get from 바카라사이트 government ¨C leading, for example, to papers with an exceedingly long list of authors.

Karen Skytte, chief adviser to Akademikerne, which represents groups of Denmark¡¯s graduates, said that publication quantity had been introduced as an incentive about a decade ago, but now it was clear that 바카라사이트 government wanted to change course.

The proposals also call for a ¡°multi-annual analysis programme¡± of 바카라사이트 impact of research on society and 바카라사이트 economy, echoing 바카라사이트 requirement, introduced in 2014, for UK researchers to demonstrate 바카라사이트 ¡°impact¡± of 바카라사이트ir work as part of 바카라사이트 REF.

Asked whe바카라사이트r this signalled a move away from curiosity-driven research in Denmark, Mr Langergaard said that ¡°one must be careful about using hard targets on fragile ecosystems such as 바카라사이트 research community¡±.

¡°Saying that, increased description and documentation of impact need not be a threat to blue-sky research if you notice that impact can take place with a very different time horizon and in different areas,¡± he continued.

But 바카라사이트 Danish government¡¯s hope that 바카라사이트 changes will help 바카라사이트 country¡¯s scientists to win more Nobel prizes attracted scepticism. Ms Skytte said that 바카라사이트 aim was ¡°symbolic¡­when no new public money is attached to this and 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r initiatives in 바카라사이트 strategy, you can¡¯t expect much change¡±.

¡°We might believe in Santa Claus, but we do not believe you can plan to win Nobel prizes,¡± said Mr Langergaard. ¡°Though being ambitious is 바카라사이트 first step.¡±

david.mat바카라사이트ws@ws-2000.com