Clarivate Global Research Report Examines Role of Research Assessment with a Review of Six Regional Systems

Rhea-AI Summary

Clarivate Plc (NYSE:CLVT) published a report analyzing formal regional research assessment systems across Australia, Canada, Germany, Hong Kong, New Zealand, and the UK. The report indicates improvements in comparative research performance but lacks a consensus on whether research assessment is essential. Key insights include Australia's unique methodology, Canada's focus on knowledge mobilization, and the UK's historical role in establishing research assessment models. The report also highlights potential biases in AI-driven assessments and their implications for the research ecosystem.

Positive

• The report shows improved comparative research performance across all examined regions.
• Australia's methodology effectively distinguishes between engagement and impact, contributing to its research success.
• Canada's culture integrates knowledge mobilization, enhancing specific research areas.

Negative

• No universal agreement on the necessity of research assessment, which may create uncertainty in funding implications.
• AI-driven assessment methods risk perpetuating existing biases related to gender, ethnicity, and more.

LONDON, Oct. 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Clarivate Plc (NYSE:CLVT), a global leader in providing trusted information and insights to accelerate the pace of innovation, today released an in-depth look at formal regional research assessment, co-authored by the Institute for Scientific Information at Clarivate, together with esteemed industry partners: Kate Williams, University of Melbourne; Jonathan Grant, Different Angles; Lutz Bornmann, Max Planck Institute and Martin Szomszor, Electric Data Solutions.

Research assessment: origins, evolution, outcomes examines the origins of research assessment, and how it works in different regions via the approaches of Australia, Canada, Germany, Hong Kong, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. It also considers the future of research assessment exercises and examines the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to replace traditional peer review.

Despite the differences in their approaches to research assessment, variation in their links to funding incentives and disparity in timing between similar systems, all the regions examined improved in comparative research performance, as measured by bibliometric performance. There is, however, no clear universal verdict on whether research assessment is a necessary or facilitating agent.

Jonathan Adams, Chief Scientist at the Institute for Scientific Information at Clarivate explains: "Research assessment has had major effects on institutional structures. It has unquestionably had pervasive effects on researcher behavior: demonstrable in the U.K. and widely reported elsewhere. The most important feature of any assessment system should arguably be the extent to which it attracts and retains the confidence of the researchers."

The Global Research Report, "Research assessment: origins, evolution, outcomes" finds that:

• Australia has a comprehensive research assessment, seeking to measure both academic impact and wider societal benefit. Australian methodology distinguishes engagement from impact, in contrast to other research impact evaluations throughout the world such as the United Kingdom's REF, but it does not influence direct research funding and may be unconnected to citation-indexed research performance. (Kate Williams, University of Melbourne).
• Canada has a long history and culture of integrating knowledge mobilization and evaluation across the research life cycle and focuses on "knowledge mobilization" in specific research areas rather than assessing general research outcomes. (Jonathan Grant, Different Angles).
• Germany has promoted its research status using 'Excellence Initiative' block funding to research organizations without regular nationwide evaluations. (Lutz Bornmann, Max Planck Institute).
• While Hong Kong's research assessment system is similar to the U.K. model, it draws on a distinctive conception of scholarship and on socio-economic benefit as well as excellence.
• The introduction of New Zealand's Performance-Based Research Fund can be associated with a marked improvement in its internationally comparative research performance.
• The United Kingdom set the first model for regular research assessment, which has had pervasive effects on institutional management and on researcher behavior.

There have always been demands for technical solutions to reduce perceived assessment bureaucracy and the report acknowledges that Artificial Intelligence has a profound impact on research but machine learning solutions to assessment burdens may propagate existing biases. Models of assessment outcomes reveal that apparently important predictors may link to factors unrelated to research impact.

Martin Szomszor, Founder Electric Data Solutions: "What this debate has made clear is that both the research system and the data we collect about it capture many forms of prejudice relating to gender, ethnicity, nationality, sexuality, age and more. Without proper consideration of these, machine learning solutions will only propagate these existing biases. This is a problem that is already familiar to those who make use of bibliometric indicators and an issue that has been at the forefront of the responsible metrics agenda."

Jonathan Adams concludes, "Our report demonstrates there are many challenges, common to many regions. Research is a very long game, so assessment stability has great merit and, whatever the criticisms, the RAE/REF remains much as it did thirty years ago, with impact case studies added on."

Notes to editors:
Our Global Research Reports from the Institute for Scientific Information at Clarivate draw on our unique industry insights to offer analysis, ideas and commentary to enlighten and stimulate debate. Each one demonstrates the huge potential of research data to inform management issues in research assessment and research policy and to accelerate development of the global research base.
https://clarivate.com/the-institute-for-scientific-information/isi-reports/

About Clarivate
Clarivate™ is a global leader in providing solutions to accelerate the pace of innovation. Our bold mission is to help customers solve some of the world's most complex problems by providing actionable information and insights that reduce the time from new ideas to life-changing inventions in the areas of Academia & Government, Life Sciences & Healthcare, Professional Services and Consumer Goods, Manufacturing & Technology. We help customers discover, protect and commercialize their inventions using our trusted subscription and technology-based solutions coupled with deep domain expertise. For more information, please visit clarivate.com.

Media Contact
Rebecca Krahenbuhl, External Communications Manager, Academia & Government
newsroom@clarivate.com

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FAQ

What does the new Clarivate report on research assessment reveal about Australia?

The report highlights that Australia has a comprehensive research assessment methodology that measures both academic impact and societal benefit.

How does the research assessment system in Canada differ from others?

Canada focuses on 'knowledge mobilization' in specific research areas rather than general research outcomes.

What are the implications of AI on research assessment according to Clarivate's report?

The report warns that AI solutions might propagate existing biases in research assessments.

What findings did Clarivate report regarding Germany's research assessment model?

Germany promotes its research status through 'Excellence Initiative' funding, lacking regular nationwide evaluations.

What role has the UK model played in research assessment?

The UK established the first regular research assessment model, influencing institutional management and researcher behavior globally.