19 May 2009
Bibliometrics Conference In Brisbane Highlighted National And Institutional Perspectives On Metrics-Based Research Evaluation And Addressed Practical Issues In The Application Of Bibliometrics
Jointly Hosted By Thomson Reuters And The University of Queensland, The International Conference On April 16-17 Was Extremely Well Received By Research Management And The Library Community
Sydney, AUSTRALIA, May 19, 2009 – Metrics-based research evaluation offers a pragmatic approach to ensuring transparency, consistency and objectivity. 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. These were some of the views that delegates shared following an international bibliometrics conference jointly hosted by the Healthcare and Science business of Thomson Reuters and the University of Queensland (UQ) in Brisbane on April 16-17.
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 very 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 distinguished panel of international and Australian speakers in the field of research evaluation was comprised of renowned bibliometricians, research managers, policy makers and librarians. They included:
• Professor Liu Niancai, Director of the Center for World-Class Universities and the Dean of the Graduate School of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University. An online publication of his group “The Academic Ranking of World Universities” has gained international attention.
• Professor Charles Oppenheim, Loughborough University, and Advisor to the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) on the Research Excellence Framework (REF) implementation in the UK.
• Associate Professor Robert Tijssen, CWTS, Leiden University, a leading world centre for bibliometrics research.
• 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.
Said Mr. Jeroen Prinsen, Sales Director of Australia and New Zealand, Thomson Reuters, "We are happy to have had the opportunity of bringing together the research management and librarian community, two communities with a strong interest in research evaluation, to dialogue on emerging trends at national and institutional levels and address practical issues of building robust research evaluation and management systems in institutions. Based on the feedback we received from delegates and speakers, these appear to be common issues and challenges faced by the international research and academic communities”.
Said Mr. Tony Sheil, Associate Director, Research Policy, Office for Research, Griffith University, “Metrics-based research evaluation is a topic of high relevance to researchers, research managers and information professionals. This event presented a diverse range of high quality national and international speakers and managed to comfortably exceed participants' expectations. A truly memorable and worthwhile way to spend two days!"
Said Ms. Alison Hunter, Principal Manager, Information Access Library, Division of Academic Information Services, University of Southern Queensland, “A really timely event about a hot topic - and much more interesting than I'd feared! The eminence and up-to-datedness of the speakers, small numbers and varied backgrounds of participants meant ample opportunity to really think, ask questions, grill speakers, and find out lots about the data, the impacts, the problems.”
“I found the conference to be one of the most informative ones I've attended in a long time. I came away with a lot of ideas and a much better understanding of bibliometrics,“ said Mr. Jim Lewis, Research Management Systems Officer, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology.
Said Professor Robyn Owens, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research and Research Training), University of Western Australia, “I found the conference to be of a uniformly high standard, with every presentation interesting, informative, and stimulating. The keynote addresses provided a wonderful overview of developments worldwide, while the local talks gave some fascinating insights into the way in which various universities, across their research and library portfolios, are responding to both the ERA and global university rankings. The collaboration of Thomson Reuters with the university sector on the development of robust metrics and visualisation tools for research performance is calibrating the global research community to the highest standards, and will lead to better research and better research outcomes for the communities we serve.”
Said Mr. Jeroen Prinsen, Thomson Reuters, “As with their counterparts elsewhere in the world, Australian and New Zealand institutions are always seeking to develop their performance and world-class evaluation standards in order to advance research and innovation. By hosting this bibliometrics conference jointly with a leading research institution such as the University of Queensland, we hope to provide a platform to encourage the sharing of new ideas and best practices in metrics-based research evaluation. This is part of our commitment as a global partner in providing quality data of integrity to leading institutions around the world in their research evaluation endeavours.”
Information on programme, speakers and their presentations are available to delegates at http://scientific.thomsonreuters.com/ausbiblioconference
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