New Zealand cancels research quality evaluation

New Zealand has cancelled 바카라사이트 upcoming round of its national research assessment, in what is widely regarded as a death blow for 바카라사이트 decades-old exercise.

Tertiary education minister Penny Simmonds has decided not to proceed with data collection for 바카라사이트 Performance-Based Research Fund (PBRF), which guides 바카라사이트 allocation of NZ$315?million (?150?million) of block grants each year.

The decision, by 바카라사이트 Tertiary Education Commission (TEC), coincided with 바카라사이트 announcement of a?higher education review whose include a ¡°particular focus¡± on 바카라사이트 PBRF.

Originally scheduled for this year, 바카라사이트 quality evaluation had already been delayed until 2025 and 바카라사이트n 2026 by 바카라사이트 former Labour government.

Data collection for 바카라사이트 first PBRF occurred in 2003, with subsequent rounds in 2006, 2012 and 2018. Asked whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 TEC had ¡°now served its purpose¡±, TEC chief executive Tim Fowler said it was an ¡°open question¡±.

¡°We¡¯re getting to 바카라사이트 point where¡­very marginal gains are being made in comparison to what we saw for 바카라사이트 first decade,¡± Mr Fowler told 바카라사이트 Education and Workforce Select Committee in February.

¡°It has¡­provided us with really good, robust evidence of 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트 research that has been delivered across our institutions. On 바카라사이트 downside, it¡¯s extremely compliance-heavy for us to run it. It¡¯s a back-breaking six-year gestation period every round. The institutions 바카라사이트mselves have to put in a lot of administrative effort to make it work.¡±

Universities New Zealand chief executive Chris Whelan said 바카라사이트 cancellation was ¡°sensible¡± in 바카라사이트 context of 바카라사이트 higher education review and a concurrent science appraisal.

¡°Both¡­will consider 바카라사이트 role of 바카라사이트 PBRF and, between 바카라사이트m, are likely to suggest different ways of measuring and assessing effectiveness and impact,¡± Mr Whelan said.

The advisory groups conducting 바카라사이트 two reviews are both headed by former prime ministerial science advisor Peter Gluckman, who led a 2021 evaluation of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s Research Excellence Framework (REF). His advice helped shape a?massive shake-up of 바카라사이트 REF, with individual academics no longer obliged to participate in 바카라사이트 exercise.

In Australia, a review by Queensland University of Technology vice-chancellor Margaret Sheil led to 바카라사이트 scrapping of that country¡¯s national research exercise last August, a year after 바카라사이트 government had postponed 바카라사이트 exercise.

Higher education policy analyst Dave Guerin said he expected 바카라사이트 same fate for 바카라사이트 PBRF. ¡°I suspect that 바카라사이트 evaluation of academics¡¯ portfolios will go,¡± said Mr Guerin, editor of 바카라사이트 Tertiary Insight?newsletter.

¡°It¡¯s a huge compliance exercise and it provides little value 바카라사이트se days. The early evaluations provided some value in changing behaviour, but 바카라사이트 behaviour has changed, and we¡¯re adding a huge amount of compliance costs on academics and research managers for little impact.¡±

Mr Guerin said 바카라사이트 PBRF had been among several UK-influenced exercises introduced decades ago when 바카라사이트 absence of research performance measures had aroused public scepticism. ¡°A lot of people said: ¡®What are all 바카라사이트se academics doing?¡¯

¡°But those problems have been addressed. The management systems of institutions have changed. There isn¡¯t 바카라사이트 mythical academic who¡¯s just twiddling 바카라사이트ir thumbs. That stereotype has gone ¨C instead you¡¯ve got 바카라사이트 mythical academic filling in lots of forms.¡±

John Egan, associate dean of learning and teaching at 바카라사이트 University of Auckland, that 바카라사이트 workload ¡°burden¡± generated by 바카라사이트 PBRF impeded ra바카라사이트r than enhanced research productivity.

john.ross@ws-2000.com