Science and Technology Australia responds to the Australian Research Council’s metrics review

The lobby proposes, in part;

* merging Excellence for Research in Australia and the new Engagement and Impact. “By keeping the EI and ERA measures separate, an unnecessary false divide is created in how we measure pure research and applied research.”

* publishing metrics every five years, not three

* using OECD members rather than all-world research to benchmark quality

* “use an auditing system to randomly check and ensure Australia’s research is truly above world standard”

* accrediting researchers only to institutions where they spend half or more their time

The Group of Eight wants ARC metrics to report “excellence at scale … which demonstrates consistent capability within specific fields of research and across fields of research”

Other recommendations include;

* stream-line data collection. ERA submissions can cost a Go8 university $1m

* ERA and EI move from three to five year rounds

* use socio-economic objective codes so that engagement and impact achievements are more apparent to government and people than in the first EI.

Get the word out

The ARC plans to release submissions to the research metrics review after it is out, which seems a bit late for a debate. So, CMM will report and/or link to, as many submissions as it can – send them in people.