IRD/Savoirs et Développement 1 Evaluation of Research Systems Rigas Arvanitis Roland Waast ESTIME Coordinating team

IRD/Savoirs et Développement2 The best promotion of research relies on enhancing quality Morocco has multiplied its scientific production by four in 10 years…. Many South American countries have improved the efficiency of their research…. In all cases, research has been evaluated at the national level and quality has been enhanced.

IRD/Savoirs et Développement3 Example: Morocco

IRD/Savoirs et Développement4 Tools for the evaluation Bibliometrics : general and detailed Surveys by questionnaires Field work Evaluation by foreign experts

IRD/Savoirs et Développement5 Evaluation is a process... Phase 1 :Preparation : bibliometrics / Information gathering / budgets, personnel, higher education Phase 2: Preliminary analysis : specific topics/fieldwork/questionnaires Phase 3: Expert selection Phase 4: Expert evaluation Phase 5: Restitution at local and national level

IRD/Savoirs et Développement6...that needs independent and professional advice The team needs to be independent from political interference and coordinated with national and local authorities The process needs to be transparent Results need to be fully discussed  Undesirable results need also to be discussed

IRD/Savoirs et Développement7 Evaluation needs some basic conditions to be fulfilled Political willingness Openness to foreign eyes A clearly defined budget A small operational team Coordination, not imposition

IRD/Savoirs et Développement8 Expected outputs –1 A quasi exhaustive review of the research system at the national and regional level  By disciplines  By institutions/at the level of departments and laboratories  By geographical location

IRD/Savoirs et Développement9 Expected outputs –2 A description of institutional capabilities  Infrastructures  Budgets and funding  Size and organization  International collaborations  Capabilities to produce and circulate knowledge  Capabilities for use of research

IRD/Savoirs et Développement10 Expected outputs –3 A quality assessment by scientific experts  Internationally recognized experts  National experts as associates  Experts with a view on uses of research  With no previous linkages with the national teams  Accepted by University authorities and research heads  Assessment made by on site visits to labs

IRD/Savoirs et Développement11 Expected outputs –4 A wide discussion of the quality assessment by scientific experts and other results  As open as possible  Including as many experts as possible  With no previous linkages with the national teams  Assessment made by on site visits to labs and meetings

IRD/Savoirs et Développement12 Benefits for research The quality of the evaluation will reveal strong points and shortcomings The implication of all parts of the research system will permit to reveal ways to enhance research The large discussions will validate results and suggest actions

IRD/Savoirs et Développement13 Benefits for further action The policy process will benefit from first class information, socially accepted  Accepted national programmes  A certification process for high achieving labs and teams  An accepted identification of priority actions