Recorded Webinar: Assessment and its impact on institutional strategy, an international comparison

Across the higher education sector, governments, funders, and universities have developed a wide range of different approaches to assess the quality of academic research. The diversity of national policy priorities is reflected in the assessment methodologies found in each context, and expectations around the mechanisms for the translation of results into concrete actions also vary considerably.

This recorded presentation (27 April, 2020) provides an overview of the research assessment environments in two national contexts – Sweden and the UK, with the aim of exploring the role that different assessment policy frameworks have in the development of institutional strategy.

Despite sharing a broad aim to support quality in research at a national level, the highly centralised UK Research Excellence Framework has some significant methodological and operational differences when compared to the more devolved approach taken by the Higher Education Authority (UKÄ – Universitetskanslersämbetet) in Sweden.

Drawing on first-hand experience within two research-intensive universities we will explore the advantages and disadvantages of each assessment approach, considering the relative balance between assessment of output quality and research environments. We also discuss how the allocation of quality-related research funding across the UK sector has influenced the way in which universities respond to the REF.

The key challenges associated with research assessment are highlighted and lessons learned from these experiences are drawn out that inform the practice of research managers and policy professionals.

This webinar is presented by EMDESK in cooperation with EARMA (European Association of Research Managers and Administrators) with Andrew Jackson (Durham University) and Sigridur Beck (University Of Gothenburg) as speakers.