(14 Nov 2023) A report released today aimed to provide a better understanding of how research assessment affects research in Australia. More than 1,000 Australian researchers and more than 50 research organisations participated in the survey. This included universities, research institutes, industry bodies, government and not-for-profit organisations. The majority of researchers (74%) were in academic roles. Across those research sectors, we also conducted 11 roundtables involving around 120 people and 25 intensive interviews to understand the issues.
This work was commissioned by Chief Scientist Cathy Foley and conducted by the Australian Council of Learned Academies (involving the academies of science, medical science, engineering and technological sciences, social sciences and humanities).
From the summary:
This report explores the nature and influence (positive and negative) of research assessment (broadly defined) on individuals, including career progression and cross-sector mobility. The report covers all organisations that employ researchers (public or private), all stages of the research endeavour and career, and all disciplines.
The report provides evidence on how research institutions nationally evaluate researchers. It delves into how research activities can not only lead to various outputs, but can also be an indicator for other critical organisational skills such as leadership, mentorship and participation in industrial or governmental bodies. The report is inclusive and considers researchers from diverse career stages, backgrounds and disciplines, as well as considering various types of research outputs and impacts.
Find out more here.
