Clarivate Plc, a global leader in providing transformative intelligence, has announced the release of a comprehensive framework designed to evaluate the societal impact of research. This innovative approach, outlined in a report published by the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI)™, addresses the increasing demand for measuring the broader benefits of research and development (R&D) investments across various sectors of society.
Titled A Responsible Framework for Evaluating the Societal Impact of Research, the report introduces a robust evaluation foundation that goes beyond traditional academic metrics, incorporating diverse data sources. This new framework will be integrated into the upcoming Web of Science Research Intelligence™ platform, offering users a nuanced approach to assess societal outcomes.
The Clarivate framework is designed to tackle core challenges in measuring societal impact, including:
• Addressing varied societal needs: The framework categorizes societal impact into eight key areas: Political & Policy, Legal & Governance, Economic, Human Capital, Medical, Social & Cultural, Technological, and Environmental. This allows for a broad and inclusive assessment of research's influence.
• Balancing qualitative and quantitative methods: Recognizing that societal impact cannot be measured by numbers alone, the framework incorporates both qualitative and quantitative indicators for a richer evaluation.
• Navigating timeframes between research and impact: To account for the often lengthy delay between research discoveries and their societal application, the framework uses both lagging and leading indicators. Lagging indicators evaluate past achievements, while leading indicators identify potential future benefits from recent research activities.
Each of the eight societal facets within the framework includes multiple metrics, enabling detailed and customizable assessments. These results will be presented in a Societal Impact Profile™, allowing users of the Web of Science Research Intelligence platform to conduct transparent and in-depth analyses tailored to their specific needs.
With this new framework, Clarivate aims to provide a responsible and comprehensive tool for evaluating research's real-world impact, supporting decision-makers across academia, government, and industry.
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