Measuring the Impacts of Federal Investments in Research A Workshop Summary (2011) / Chapter Skim
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7 INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVES ON MEASURING RESEARCH IMPACTS
7 INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVES ON MEASURING RESEARCH IMPACTS
Pages 61-68
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From page 61... ...
Science funding in the UK comes from the government, the private sector, and charities, and universities function on a dual support system, where money for staff and infrastructure comes from higher education funding councils and research councils designate funds on a project and program basis. Ian Viney, Head of Evaluation for the London-based MRC, outlined the council's efforts to measure and influence research impacts.
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From page 62... ...
focused on the return on investment for research on cardiovascular disease and mental health. Combined with data from e-Val, the study built a strong quantitative argument for investment in medical research in time for the change of party control of government in 2009 and the subsequent review of all government spending.
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From page 63... ...
In the government's 2010 Comprehensive Spending Review, the MRC's evaluation helped protect the medical research budget in real terms until 2014 while the overall science budget received no inflation increase. For the MRC, this is a tangible example of evaluation influencing policy, Viney said.
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From page 64... ...
Until recently, it was difficult to identify recipients of EU funding by linking into bibliometric databases, but in 2009 it became possible to search grant activity and funding acknowledgements in the Web of Science database and therefore accurately identify not only program participants but their affiliates. Using the database in this way allows for assessment of research output and comparison with other projects, national averages, and world averages.
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From page 65... ...
The responses provided crucial data that could then be used to compare Framework Program participants with other researchers, controlling for variables such as company size and sector, and discern whether the program increases collaboration and productivity. The commission also found ex-ante evaluation to be a useful tool when applied to the Framework Program.
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From page 66... ...
An effective program will rely on traditional software engineering methods as well as knowledge engineering and e-government approaches. The Lattes platform, which Brazil has been using since 1999, holds program information in a database that currently contains over 2 million curricula vitae (CVs)
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From page 67... ...
"If the scientific community knows what's going on, it will be better for national federal agencies to interact and allow for the community to participate, because they know they have access to information." DISCUSSION During the question period a participant asked Viney how the U.K. Medical Research Council (MRC)
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From page 68... ...
Viney said that the MRC has looked at where MRC research is cited, paying particular attention to which documents are more influential and tracking any resulting policy changes. A workshop participant asked about the European Commission's guarantee fund, where some money is held back until participants fulfill the requirements of the grant, and whether surveys must be completed in order to receive that money.
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