Responsible research assessment & management

Statement on responsible research assessment and management

Our statement and guiding beliefs to support fair and responsible research assessment and management at BU

Our vision is for Bournemouth University to be recognised world-wide as a leading university for inspiring learning, advancing knowledge and enriching society through the fusion of education, research and practice.

Research is a fundamental part of this aim, and we aspire to increase research quality, volume, and impact. The assessment of research quality and impact is therefore a normal and necessary part of the research activity cycle.

Research assessment is used for decision making, which can sometimes have an impact on the careers of researchers. We therefore champion the use of ‘responsible metrics’, as defined in the Metric Tide report (2015).

We recognise the limitations of using quantitative metrics in research assessment, particularly in some disciplines, and so BU is committed to implementing a robust peer review process as the primary and preferred method of informing research assessment outcome.

However, there are quantitative metrics that can be helpful in assessing research when these are used to support peer review, for example, to provide contextual information. This could include things like publication data; application, award and income data; doctoral student numbers; altmetrics (such as social media mentions); offers to give addresses at conferences and media appearances - as well as discipline specific standards. Quantitative metrics are also used in the external assessment of research quality, for example, in national and international rankings and in external research assessment exercises.

In 2019, BU signed up to the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA) to further demonstrate our commitment and reaffirm our alignment to fair and responsible approach and management of all research assessment at the university; and to build on our core values of BU2025.

Responsible research assessment and management at Bournemouth University - the guiding beliefs

In demonstrating our commitment to the use of responsible metrics in research assessment, and in line with our commitment to DORA, these are the two main guiding beliefs in steering BU’s efforts and strategies to ensure responsible research assessment and management.

BU is dedicated to applying and adhering to the following guiding beliefs where relevant and applicable:

All research outputs and other research contributions should be evaluated based on their intrinsic value, instead of being assessed based upon inappropriate proxies and metrics such as the title or impact factor of the journal in which the research was published.
In line with BU’s core Fusion values, the quality and excellence of a researcher’s work will be evaluated in broader terms that could potentially include outputs other than research publications, such as mentoring, public engagement, research contribution to teaching, impacts on policy and practice etc.

Keys to implementation

The following will be used to underpin the implementation of the guiding beliefs:

Precedence of peer review judgement over quantitative measures

In preparation for both research excellence framework (REF) exercises in the last decade, BU has relied upon well-established and robust internal and external peer review processes and procedures, utilising internal and external subject specialists.

Quantitative metrics in some subject areas can challenge any potential bias tendencies in the peer review process and can help facilitate further discussion or deliberation. Quantitative metrics, where available, will be used in disciplines where they are robust enough to strengthen and supplement peer review but will never replace BU’s current peer review assessment of research outputs and their context.

Value and impact of all research outputs

For the purposes of research assessment, the value and impact of all forms of research outputs, including digital artefacts, datasets and software in addition to research publications, should be considered through a broad range of measures including qualitative indicators of research impact, such as influence on policy and practice.

As a signatory to DORA, we value a diverse range of research outputs, and all outputs will be considered on their own merits, in their appropriate context, and will be assessed on a fair and equal basis.

Transparency

All assessment criteria or any quantitative data used will be transparent and available (when requested) to those being assessed. Assessors must disclose any data sources used and the basis of their judgement if questioned, to ensure that the researchers can review and correct data or challenge perceptions about their work. To ensure equity and transparency in all internal REF research assessment processes, the REF Panel Criteria will be recommended for use in all internal peer review processes.

Peer review is inherently subjective. To promote fairness in research assessment and to mitigate against unconscious bias a range of control measures are used. These include but are not limited to mandatory Fairness in Research Assessment Training for all internal panel members, open calls for reviewers, gender balanced in selection panels, Equality analyses undertaken systematically through preparation, unit-led calibration exercises ahead of review and independently chaired unit moderation meetings to agree scores.

Personal accountability in Faculty and staff

At BU, all Faculties should develop and adopt a Faculty-level action plan for responsible research assessment and management. To foster a sense of personal accountability in Faculty and staff, it will be made explicit that it is everyone’s responsibility to challenge suspected or potential bias at the beginning of every decision-making situation. All Faculties are responsible for raising awareness on unintended biases including gender, ethnicity, seniority, affiliation, disciplines, et cetera that may arise from scientific and cultural stereotypes.

Journal-based metrics

Adopting a portfolio view toward researcher contributions

Researchers at BU will be evaluated based on a full range of the researchers’ contributions, including activities beyond publications and grants. For instance, other activities which could be considered in the evaluation could potentially include research contribution to teaching and mentoring, service to the research community, impact and contribution to the wider society, public engagement, etc, in line with BU’s core Fusion values.

One size does not fit all (discipline)

Implementation

To ensure BU’s Responsible Research Assessment and Management guiding beliefs and keys to implementation are successfully executed and realised, it is envisaged that the implementation plan document will be operational and regularly updated.

Monitoring and Compliance

BU’s Statement on Responsible Research Assessment and Management and its associated strategies and implementation plan will be subject to an equality analysis as the first step to the monitoring and compliance process.

BU is committed to ensure open, transparent and fair approach in all processes relevant to the BU internal and external peer review process with the aim of increasing equality and diversity of all internal reviewer teams and to reflect the true staff demographic at BU. The Equality and Diversity profile of BU’s internal reviewer teams will be monitored and reported on a regular basis.

No member of staff should receive less favourable treatment by the implementation of this statement.

BU recognises that the embedding of these beliefs will constitute a culture change which will require time and effort. There will therefore be a review progress which takes place on a regular basis and strategies and plans will be refined accordingly as appropriate.

This policy statement and associated plans and approaches will therefore evolve in parallel with the on-going discussions that are taking place amongst all BU academic communities.