D-I-Y Research Quality Assurance

Let me start with this admission: this wasn’t meant to be a pecha kucha
This was meant to be a workshop, an open exchange of suggestions and questions
In order to help my colleagues and I with this idea we’re developing
Of providing the research community of Ghent University with their own D-I-Y
research quality assurance toolkit
1

It’s not that we don’t have any experience with finding ways of assessing or
measuring the quality & impact of the research being done at our university
In Flanders we simply love our bibliometrics
And recently we have tried other approaches as well such as large-scale peer review
and self-assessment exercises
2

But coming up with a flexible framework that fits the concepts and many approaches
of research quality assurance
That links up with the many relevant contexts
That respects our university’s stance on the DORA principles
And is feasible in terms of cost and staff involvement?
It often feels like a tall order…
3

In essence what we are aiming to do is foster responsibility and trust among our own
policy level and within the research community
While avoiding getting caught up in a Kafkaesque limbo and number crunching
The idea is to provide research groups with the necessary tools and guidance to set
up their own research quality assurance, tailored to their specific make-up and needs
4

Although Ghent University research has successfully managed to brew beer from
waste water and develop the best cacao for the tastiest chocolates
In this case we will not be reinventing the wheel
So enter the widely known model of quality assurance AKA the plan-do-check-act
cycle
5

For the planning phase we will be providing research groups with an array of methods
through which they may be able to understand their current situation
And set out a strategy for improvement
These methods will be both quantitative as qualitative – from metrics & data to peer
advice
6

Next is the do phase in which the research group allows the plan to be enacted
But also on our central level we need to set up both a way to gather all this data and
share the lessons learnt
As well as a way to offer guidance and training for joint concerns or underdeveloped
skills & knowledge
7

So on the one hand we aim to put forward a modular framework – made up of a
number of broad intersecting topics – which I will list for you next
And from which the group can pick and choose for their personal snapshot
On top of this we will generate data sets from our institutional databases and provide
a catalogue of tools and expertise
8

On to the first topic – scientific quality and impact
Our researchers are very well acquainted with bibliometrics because of the national
research policy climate of the past 15 years
We will provide tools such as InCites and leverage our in-house bibliometric expertise
But also look at less quantifiable approaches & approaches more relevant to social
science and humanities
9

Our researchers have been less trained in recognising and assessing reach & societal
impact
Connecting up with our recent policy plan on that same topic we will continue to
invest in the education of our community
And offer tools such as Altmetric, relevant descriptors, case study templates, and
public engagement & science communication training
10

Another recent hot topic is research integrity & ethics
As signatories of the ALLEA code, GDPR, and the Nagoya protocol we invest heavily in
sensitizing our researchers
In recognizing and setting up a work environment in accordance with these codes,
And in weeding out questionnable research practices
11

Underlying and reinforcing integrity and ethics is the concept of open science
Ghent University is an active voice in the European debate on this topic
And is looking for ways to introduce specific rewards and incentives
Initiatives such as research data managers, DMP Online, a state-of-the-art repository,
and open access mandate provide a supportive context
12

Another broad topic is internationalisation
Although research is an inherent international endeavour, strategically thinking about
which networks to be part of,
How to incorporate development cooperation into excellence
How to provide fitting support for international researchers
Is an exercise worthwhile doing
13

As is assessing the diversity and gender balance of the research group
Against the backdrop of data and policy from Flanders and beyond – provided by our
policy units
Groups can benchmark their progress
Be more aware of implicit biases
and discover remedial measures
14

The previous two topics tie in nicely with this one – HRM
A research group is of course a collection of people and people working in a
successfully managed supportive environment may produce excellent research
Our work related to the European label for HR Excellence in Research is in that sense
very relevant
15

An essential part of managing a research group is mentoring and training the next
generation
In collaboration with the Doctoral Schools guiding documents such as a charter for
supervisors, a quality framework for doctoral training, and a network of
ombudspersons are available
Ghent University also invests in research into the mental wellbeing of junior
researchers
16

Linked with this HRM and mentorship is the quality of leadership.
An element which we are also planning to incorporate into the newly developed
promotion criteria for professors
Finally, the overall vitality of the group is taken into account and set against the
institutional profile and mission
Also giving us a better insight into our strategic research areas
17

As I’ve mentioned at the start this is still very much ‘work in progress’ but we can
already see some challenges ahead
Especially the cost for both the actual implementation of certain ideas
As the investment for central admin staff providing all this info and support
18

Keeping the framework and tools agile is another demanding aspect as are finding
ways to spread the word across a large decentralised organisation
And providing an easy to use and discoverable platform to underpin the sharing of
knowledge
19

Even at the start of this crazy idea we do believe there might be some merit in putting
some of the responsibility and power into the hands of our academics
If you have relevant insights or firsthand experience about this, come and find me for
a drink and a talk.
Thank you!
20

D-I-Y Research Quality Assurance

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