EVALUATION. University of Gothenburg is planning a sequel to RED10, the university’s first and now six year old research evaluation. How, when and why a new evaluation will take place was recently discussed at a packed seminar. Represented at the seminar was also the pioneer and inspirer Uppsala University, which is now conducting its third evaluation.
“We need to know that we do the right things in a quality safe and stimulating way and it is therefore important that we regularly review the entire research organization” Staffan Eden, vice president for research at the University of Gothenburg, said at the seminar.
The main idea of the first research evaluation conducted at the University of Gothenburg, RED10, was to illuminate all the research activities and assess its quality. Some conclusions were that there were deficiencies in the university’s external recruitment and that mobility was low. It was also found that many research environments were narrow and understaffed and that there was a lack of strategy and planning and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Prior to the new research evaluation now being planned, a pilot study is currently carried out, in which a large number of people are interviewed. The primary purpose is to find out how the evaluation should be designed tin order o promote quality, and also how to use the evaluation.
“The preliminary results of the feasibility study shows above all that a further evaluation should focus on developing the research activities, rather than to rate our existing research”, says Staffan Edén.
At the government level the Department of Education currently is workning an on assignment to be responsible for the evaluation of research quality at the national level, which the government has decided will be given to Universitetskanslersämbetet, UKÄ. Formally UKÄ can’t not be commissioned until parliament has decided on the research bill in mid-April.
A complete draft of the University of Gothenburg next research evaluation will presented to the Vice-Chancellor and the University Board in June 2017.
TEXT: ANN-CHARLOTTE SCHÜTZER
PHOTO: JOHAN WINGBORG/GU AND UPPSALA UNIVERSITY.
