1. An Outlook Of a Young Researcher On University Ranking Issues In Scientific Career Planning
UNICA RECTORS’ SEMINAR 2009: The Role of Evaluation & Ranking of Universities in the Quality Culture
Friday, 3 July 2009
Center for Advanced Academic Studies
University of Zagreb
Don Frana Bulića 4, DUBROVNIK

2. Motivating factors for young researchers
Personal motivation, love of research and interest in the scientific career
Studying under acclaimed mentors
“Learn the ropes” of research as a career
Trailblazers in “hot” topics
Bringing added value and energy to teaching, spreading enthusiasm in students
Opportunity to lead from the front
Good equipment, infrastructure and travel fund
Scientific/professional/social networking
Financial / material gain or potential to acquire gain “down the road”
Wanderlust – mobility
Personal motivation, love of research and scientific career
Studying under acclaimed advisers / supervisors / mentors who provide true and up-to-date insight into the chosen field of expertise
“Learn the ropes” of research and development as a career (e.g. Project proposal write-up, taking part in managerial / administrative duties within the project executive team etc.)
Studying and hopefully becoming trailblazers, further down the line, in competitive topics that are both recognized by peers, well funded, and truly contribute to the development of the society as a whole
Bringing novelty, methodological advancement, interaction, communication and added value to teaching, spreading enthusiasm in students
Good equipment, infrastructure and travel fund
Good potential and apt opportunities for placement in formal and informal scientific/professional/social networks
Ability to persuade peers of the merit of their ideas and beat down a path for others to follow, build informal and formal research consortia, approach joint and cross-pollinating research efforts
Financial / material gain or potential to acquire gain “down the road”
Wanderlust – mobility (subsidiarized institutions, institutions with remote study centers / laboratories / joint studies with remote / foreign instititutions)
01/05/2019
UNICA Rectors' Seminar 2009, CAAS / University of Zagreb, Dubrovnik

3. Blind spots in “league”-type ranking / placement
Self-perpetuity – loss of statistical relevance
“Narrow-topic” competitiveness of “less well ranked” isn’t reflected
Breadth and depth of competitiveness in specific topics of “well ranked” isn’t reflected
Incentive to mobility isn’t reflected
Career possibilities - staying on as faculty isn’t reflected
Propensity for consortium-building isn’t reflected
Self-perpetuity – loss of statistical relevance
“Traditionally excellent” institutions may well be rivaled in certain areas by smaller, simpler-run, “cosier” institutions which provide a better and more friendly working environment for a young researcher
“Traditionally excellent” institutions may (by e.g. concetrating employment policy on Nobel or Fields Medal laureates) curtail the possibility / probability of staying on as faculty / staff
“Traditionally excellent” institutions may be decidedly closed or averse to building new consortia / networks / subsidizing excellence centers (taking the view that it “subtracts” from the strength of their brand)
01/05/2019
UNICA Rectors' Seminar 2009, CAAS / University of Zagreb, Dubrovnik

4. Road forward
Polyvalent, non-correlated, well spread and representative sets of benchmarks, rather than a summary rank
Narrative testimonials
Relative research output
Relative educational / professional output
Relative economic / innovative output
Relative socially-proactive output
Polyvalent, non-correlated, well spread and representative sets of benchmarks, rather than a summary rank
Measure of research output correlated to opportuniy and capacity
Measure of educational output correlated to opportunity, infrastructure and quality of incoming students
Measure of innovative action in the economy, partnership with commercial enterprises and contribution to “economy of knowledge” correlated to the level of development of the local economy and the degree by which it is indeed an “economy of knowledge”
Measure of contribution to the society, humaneness, democracy, free thinking, free expression, political transparency, equality, gender issues in local context
Polls, questionnaires and votes of students, faculty, administrative staff, alumni and partner representatives
Results of external evaluations (e.g. by the quality-assurance dept. Or office of a network of excellence or other such type of institution that the university is a member of)
Narrative testimonials
Self-evaluation, polls and questionnaires
Results of extrenal evaluations
01/05/2019
UNICA Rectors' Seminar 2009, CAAS / University of Zagreb, Dubrovnik

5. Opportunities and hurdles of a benchmarking approach
Possibility of data analysis, data mining
Better decision-making – better productivity
Formation, execution, monitoring and follow-up on trans-national policy (e.g. EU policy, ERA, EHEA)
Hurdles
“Double the effort”
Lack of unified methodology or standard to “peg against”
Possibilities offered by modern technology
Web-oriented front end for interested parties
Web-oriented back end for contributors & evaluators
Opportunities
Possibility of data analysis, data mining
Leads naturally to more informed, and therefore more effective decision-making
Leads to easier fomulation, argumentation and follow-up on regional, trans-national policies (e.g. European policy)
Hurdles
Establish correlation with state of local society, economy, culture and tradition requires “double the effort”
Possibilities offered by modern technology
“Front end” for interested parties can be graphical, user-friendly and ergonomic via the web or some type of networking site (“Facebook for Universities”)
“Back end” for myriad contributors can also be graphical, user-friendly and ergonomic (cf. Creating contents using CMS-type web software such as Facebook polls or questionnaires)
01/05/2019
UNICA Rectors' Seminar 2009, CAAS / University of Zagreb, Dubrovnik

6. Thank you!
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