Major UK research evaluation to utilize citation data from Web of Science Group for assessment purposes.
The Web of Science Group, a leading provider of citation data for research evaluations, has been chosen to play a significant role in the UK's Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021. The REF is a large-scale national evaluation aimed at gauging research performance in approximately 150 UK Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).
The REF is an important event for UK HEIs as it provides accountability for public investment, acts as an indicator of prestige, and determines how a substantial proportion of public research funding is allocated. The evaluations will inform future allocation of research funding.
Simon Thomson, the project leader for REF 2021 and the Managing Director of Research Evaluation and Analytics at the Web of Science Group, will be coordinating different workstreams, acting as the central point of contact for the REF team, and working with the REF peer-review panels, UK universities, and Research England.
Citation figures from the Web of Science will be added to the evaluative mix for REF 2021. The use of citation data is a limited component of a larger evaluative process, but it has the potential to directly impact the funding that HEIs receive. The ideal outcome of REF 2021, according to Simon Thomson, is for all stakeholders to feel engaged and confident that the citation data have been informative and appropriately used.
The REF is a process of expert review, carried out by panels made up of senior academics, international members, and research users, to assess the quality of research in UK higher-education institutions. The Web of Science Group's involvement in REF 2021 demonstrates confidence in their role as a provider of citation data for research evaluations.
It is worth noting that the UK Forum for Responsible Research Metrics is part of the REF team's dialogue with the Web of Science Group. This collaboration underscores the importance of ensuring the use of citation data is both responsible and transparent.
Simon Thomson leads a team of data and policy analysts, producing custom reports and analyses for universities, governments, and research funders. He holds a doctorate in protein crystallography from the University of Sheffield. His experience in leading custom projects made him an ideal choice to lead the REF 2021 project.
The Web of Science Group has partnered in national research-assessment initiatives in Norway, Australia, and China, further solidifying their position as a trusted provider of citation data for research evaluations. They won a contract in late 2018 from the UK's four higher-education funding bodies to provide citation data for the UK Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021.
In conclusion, the Web of Science Group's data will be used by 11 of the 34 subject-based expert panels to inform, but not make, their assessment of research outputs in REF 2021. The REF 2021 is a crucial event for the UK's research landscape, and the Web of Science Group's involvement underscores the importance of citation data in the evaluation of research outputs.
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