Quality assurance system in research
RU Research Assessment
An evaluation of the research activities of each individual academic employee has been conducted annually by international experts. The assessment was first conducted in 2007. In 2019, it was decided to carry out the assessment every second year, i.e. in 2020, 2022, etc. The main objective of the assessment is to examine the quality of the research and research activity of all academic employees at RU during a 6 year period. The RU Research Council is responsible for and in charge of the assessment in collaboration with RU Research Services.
The evaluation process is operationally coordinated by RU Research Services. The Ministry of Education, Science and Culture annually allocates research funds to the University. These funds are allocated on the basis of Article 21 of Act No. 63/2006 on higher education institutions.
All faculty members who conduct research and publish, using Reykjavik University as their affiliation, are obliged to deliver a Research Report before the 1st of October and be evaluated. The Evaluation Panel uses the Research Report to evaluate the research activity of all academic staff with research duties. Panel members are asked to base their evaluation and hence their rating primarily on the quantity/quality of research output in peer-reviewed outlets. The Evaluation Panel assigns the following rating to each member of the academic staff of each RU department:
0) None or insignificant research activity.
1) Little but nontrivial research activity.
2) Contributes
to the international research community or domestic where appropriate.
3) Considerable and active participant in the international research community or domestic where appropriate, with a clear contribution and impact.
4) Significant and active participant in the international research community or domestic, where appropriate, with a substantial contribution and impact.
Following the individual assessment, an Evaluation Report is written and edited by the Panel members with the assistance of the Coordinator. The report is confidential and only for internal use. The result of the evaluation is made available to the department chairs of the RU departments, who then reveal individual ratings to individual researchers.
