Campuses warn against metrics-only knowledge exchange framework

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Campuses warn against metrics-only knowledge exchange framework

Universities say they must be able to supplement metrics with contextual or narrative information

Published on

十一月 19, 2018

Last updated

十一月 19, 2018

Rachael Pells

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English universities have said that they must be given the chance to supplement metrics used in the forthcoming knowledge exchange framework with contextual information.

The results of a call for evidence on the KEF, published by Research England on 19 November, report “almost universal” support for the use of narrative information in the assessment of universities’ performance in areas such as commercialisation, collaborative research and consulting to be compared on a like-for-like basis.

The KEF has been expected to be largely based on metrics, but the approach advocated by universities draws on the methodology of the research excellence framework, in which peer review judgements about quality are sometimes supplemented by citation data.

Scores allocated in KEF are expected to be used to inform the allocation of sources of support such as the Higher Education Innovation Fund. The first exercise is expected to be conducted in the 2019-20 academic year.

The call for evidence, which attracted 106 responses, found support for the use of narrative information ranging from peer-reviewed narrative statements or case studies, or contextual information such as that found in institutional knowledge exchange strategies.

Respondents also suggested datasets?that could be drawn on for metrics, such as the Higher Education Business & Community Interaction survey, patent citations, and statistics on industry co-authorship and student activities such as placements.

Many respondents suggested that the adoption of a “gold”, “silver” and “bronze” rating system, as employed in the teaching excellence framework, would “oversimplify what is a complex area”.

A consultation on how the KEF will work in practice will be opened towards the end of 2018 and close in early 2019.

Alongside the call for evidence, Research England also published a cluster analysis?that gives universities the first indication of which institutions their performance will be compared against.

The UK government has previously indicated that universities should be banded by type in the forthcoming assessment, allowing their strength to be compared on a like-for-like basis.

The analysis by Tomas Coates Ulrichsen, a research associate at the Centre for Science, Technology and Innovation Policy at the 51国产视频 of Cambridge, explains that the banding is a reflection of “systematic differences in the structural characteristics” of universities, on the understanding that their individual potential for knowledge exchange will vary.

“The process does not seek to make any value judgement on whether one cluster is in some way better or more valuable than another; only that they are structurally different,” the report concludes.

There are five separate clusters of teaching and research universities, and separate clusters for specialist institutions.

However, Research England said that it would “further develop this analysis, including manually assigning some universities to different clusters” ahead of the consultation.

Alice Frost, Research England’s director of knowledge exchange, said there was a “great deal of work going on behind the scenes” to support the development of the KEF.

“It’s essential we get a broad range of views to ensure the KEF is a useful tool for universities and users. We hope this information will give an indication of the direction of travel and help HEIs prepare for the consultation,” she said.

rachael.pells@timeshighereducation.com