Next Generation Metrics for Scientific and Scholarly Research in Europe

Abstract:  The field of evaluating academic activities is vast, complex, and highly dynamic, as are the roles of any data and indicators used to support these evaluations This Next Generation Metrics for Scientific and Scholarly Research in Europe paper, explores how universities can and should use currently available metrics and data to assess their research evaluation processes, in conjunction with qualitative expertise and information.

The authors have chosen to focus on the aspect of academic evaluation that shows great potential for significant advancements in the coming years: the use and advancement of next-generation metrics for responsible research evaluation, encompassing open science, societal impact, and innovation.

The paper aims to support universities in shaping their metric policies in alignment with their own missions, rather than relying solely on standard metrics and data availability. The paper furthermore intends to serve as a framework for universities to determine priorities to work on in specific domains for the application of contextually relevant indicators and metrics.

The authors place strong emphasis on the reuse of existing expertise on metrics as well as on collaboration, both among universities and between universities and funding agencies to achieve these goals.