The Healthcare and Science business of Thomson Reuters and the University of Queensland (UQ) recently hosted an international bibliometrics conference in Brisbane. According to views shared by the delegates, metrics-based research evaluation offers a pragmatic approach to ensuring transparency, consistency and objectivity. It was also observed that the challenges in building robust research evaluation and management systems in institutions can be best overcome by the research management and librarian community working together.
Held at the UQ Queensland Brain Institute Auditorium, the conference highlighted national and institutional perspectives on metrics-based research evaluation and research excellence, and attracted more than 140 delegates. The conference garnered positive feedback from delegates and speakers alike, most of whom agreed that it was important for institutions to have synergy between their libraries and research offices.
The panel of international and Australian speakers in the field of research evaluation comprised renowned bibliometricians, research managers, policy makers and librarians. They included Prof. Liu Niancai, Director of the Center for World-Class Universities and the Dean of the Graduate School of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University; Prof. Charles Oppenheim, Loughborough University, and Advisor to the Higher Education Funding Council for England on the Research Excellence Framework implementation in the UK; Associate Professor Robert Tijssen, CWTS, Leiden University; and Warren Smart, Senior Research Analyst, Ministry of Education, New Zealand.
Additional discussions addressed the role of university libraries in supporting research evaluation and the practical aspects of integrating publication management systems. Associate Professor Robert Tijssen led a bibliometrics master class on measuring research excellence which the participants found practical.
