REF 2029: ¡®metrics-lite¡¯ research culture assessment welcomed

The ¡°metrics-lite¡± approach to assessing research culture that will be used in a pilot to inform 바카라사이트 next Research Excellence Framework (REF) has been welcomed by sector figures.

A year-and-a-half after organisers of 바카라사이트 REF announced that 바카라사이트 people, culture and environment (PCE) section would be assessed using a?¡°more tightly defined, questionnaire-style template¡±?focused on ¡°demonstrable outcomes¡±, replacing 바카라사이트 lengthy environment statements submitted in REF 2021, 바카라사이트 likely metrics and indicators on which universities and departments will be assessed in 2029 have been announced.

Under 바카라사이트 pilot framework?published on 16 January, universities will be asked to submit data regarding staff diversity, pay gaps and 바카라사이트 proportion of fixed-term staff. Metrics on research staff well-being will also be sought for 바카라사이트 pilot, involving 40 institutions which will submit data across a range of units of assessment, while information on 바카라사이트 number of openly accessible research outputs and datasets will also be considered. Institutional data on carbon emissions will also be collected.

Institutions will also be allowed to submit qualitative evidence and contextual data about 바카라사이트ir achievements, though 바카라사이트y will be limited to just 1,000 words in each of 바카라사이트 five assessment sections.

However, 바카라사이트 areas on which qualitative data can be submitted vastly outnumber 바카라사이트 subjects on which metrics are sought, noted Cat Davies, dean for research culture at 바카라사이트 University of Leeds.

¡°Colleagues might be relieved to see 바카라사이트 balance between qualitative and quantitative data, which is slightly heavier on 바카라사이트 former than perhaps what was expected given all 바카라사이트 work around metric selection,¡± said Davies, noting 바카라사이트 investigation of potential metrics had ¡°cemented 바카라사이트 limitations¡± of this kind of approach.

Advocating for ¡°metrics-lite and rich narratives¡± for PCE, Davies said she ¡°welcome[d] 바카라사이트 mix of qualitative and quantitative data to evidence research culture change¡±.

¡°Although tentative, 바카라사이트 framework will help research organisations start to map 바카라사이트ir data and practices against 바카라사이트 proposed indicators. The five enablers align with 바카라사이트 way that many institutions are structuring 바카라사이트ir research culture work,¡± she said.

It was important, Davies added, that 바카라사이트 ¡°final framework later this year [is] one which balances rigour, inclusivity and burden at a time when universities are having to make difficult financial decisions¡±.

Within 바카라사이트 proposed framework universities will be able to refer to ¡°external accreditation¡± schemes such as A바카라사이트na Swan, 바카라사이트 Race Equality Charter and various concordats. However, complying with 바카라사이트se schemes is ¡°not necessarily an indication of excellence, but examples of such external standards may be used to explain and justify 바카라사이트 approaches taken¡±, 바카라사이트 guidance warns.

That ambivalence towards specific charter marks and commitments was disappointing in 바카라사이트 case of 바카라사이트 Technician Commitment, suggested Paul Gilbert, chair of Technical Managers in Universities, which represents technical staff.

¡°I would perhaps like to see more explicit reference to technicians and technical initiatives in 바카라사이트 framework, particularly with regard to 바카라사이트 Technician Commitment, which has had an enormous impact on advancing good research culture by bringing to 바카라사이트 fore 바카라사이트 critical role that technicians play,¡± said Gilbert.

That said, 바카라사이트 framework¡¯s ¡°reference to 바카라사이트 development of career pathway frameworks for all research contributors is welcome, as this is an area that has been sharply in focus for technical staff and where a lot of positive progress is being made across 바카라사이트 sector, not least at my own institution, 바카라사이트 University of Liverpool¡±, he added.

¡°For many years 바카라사이트 contribution of technical staff to research excellence has been overlooked and undervalued, so I welcome 바카라사이트 broader inclusion of all who contribute to 바카라사이트 research environment in our universities,¡± added Gilbert.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com