The League of European Research Universities (LERU), a network that brings together the continent's twenty-four most research-intensive universities, including the University of Barcelona, has recently expressed its support for the design of new metrics that allow a more careful and qualitative evaluation of the scientific and scholarly research activity of universities. The recommendations are stated in the publication Next Generation Metrics for Scientific and Scholarly Research in Europe, coordinated by Paul Wauters, Professor of Scientometrics at the University of Leiden.
The authors of the report stress the need to create a new generation of metrics capable of assessing research in a responsible way and that encompasses variables such as open science, social impact and innovation.
Among the recommendations, universities are advised to adapt their measurement instruments according to their missions, rather than relying only on standard metrics. The publication proposes a framework for determining priorities when applying indicators and metrics.
The publication emphasises both the re-use of existing metrics expertise and collaboration between universities and between universities and funding agencies to achieve these goals.
The case of the University of Barcelona
The range of recommendations proposed by LERU in this publication is in line with the commitments made by the UB in relation to the CoARA Coalition. Between 2022 and 2023, the UB has developed internal initiatives to promote new approaches in the evaluation processes of researchers and research structures. For example, the Vice-Rector's Office for Research and the Vice-Rector's Office for Teaching and Research Staff have promoted the use of alternative evaluation criteria, in line with the principles of the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA), which move away from the exclusive use of quantitative bibliometric parameters. The UB's CoARA Action Plan for the period 2024-2027 was also presented at the last Governing Council.
