Q&R24 research evaluation coming to an end

Uppsala University is currently conducting the research evaluation Quality and Renewal 2024 (Q&R24).

The evaluation is organised slightly differently from similar evaluations previously carried out at the University in that Q&R24 is divided into a part conducted faculty by faculty and a University-wide part. Each faculty board is responsible for evaluating its own research and research environments. This means that the evaluation parallels the way evaluations of education are organised.

The University-wide part is in two components, evaluating the University’s management and support structure for research infrastructure and multi- and interdisciplinarity respectively. Thus, it is not an evaluation of the research infrastructure or multi- and interdisciplinary research as such; it is the University’s processes and support structures in these areas that are being evaluated.

Different arrangements in each faculty

In the Disciplinary Domain of Humanities and Social Sciences, each faculty board has decided on its own model for carrying out the evaluation within the framework of the University-wide model. Adapting the evaluation to the faculty’s research activities increases the potential for learning lessons and drawing conclusions that in turn can advance the research activities.

Both the organisation of the evaluation and the timetable differ slightly between faculties. For example, in the Faculty of Arts, the assessment panels made their visits before the summer and submitted their final reports during the summer. In most of the faculties, the assessment panels have instead visited during the autumn.

After the visits, the panels compile their reports and the departments have the opportunity to reflect on these reports.

The departments in the Faculty of Arts have now had time to comment on the outcome and the evaluation has been completed.

How do you feel now that you’re all done at the Faculty of Arts?

“It feels great. The Q&R process has proceeded as planned with self-evaluations in the spring, site visits in May, assessor reports in the summer and final reports from the departments in September. We’re pleased that the timetable has worked out as intended,” says Paula Henrikson, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Arts.

The Faculty of Social Sciences has organised Q&R24 with virtual site visits. However, as they have been taking place during the autumn, it is a little too early to comment on how these virtual site visits have gone.

“The virtual site visits have worked, but at this point I don’t know how well they have worked. It’s a bit too early to say. Some departments in the faculty have held the panel meetings on site,” explains Joakim Palme, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences.

Process has rolled along

Henrikson and Palme agree that coordinating the evaluation with the various departments in their faculties has gone well.

“It hasn’t been particularly difficult because everyone has contributed constructively with their parts to the whole. The faculty’s Quality Committee for Research and Doctoral Education has played an important role in the work,” says Henrikson.

“It’s gone well on the whole, though things always crop up along the way,” says Palme.

Overall results

One question that naturally arises at this point is, of course, whether any general trends emerge in the evaluation. Is it possible to identify something that could be improved or, for that matter, things that work well that are important to safeguard?

“The evaluation has confirmed the image of the Faculty of Arts as a strong research environment with a sharp focus on quality. We can see a need to clarify the research support functions that are available, and a need for experience exchange and structures around junior researchers’ career paths,” Henrikson reflects.

In the Faculty of Social Sciences, it is unfortunately too early at the time of writing to comment on the results of the evaluation as they are in the middle of their process.

Next steps

As the idea of Q&R24 is to contribute to the development of research, it is of course important to utilise the results of the evaluation and make them known within the organisation. In many ways, this process starts with the self-evaluation but it intensifies after the assessment panels have submitted their final reports.

“We’re now looking ahead to the faculty conference we will hold with our departments in early December, with the panel chairs in attendance. After that we will take the results further both in the departments and in the faculty’s strategic work,” says Palme.

“The first step is for the Faculty Board to examine the results and the evaluation will also be followed up with heads of department and directors of doctoral studies. In addition, the departments will continue to work on their own parts within the framework of their quality assurance procedures,” Henrikson explains.

A University-wide conference is planned for the whole of Uppsala University in spring 2025, at which results of the Q&R24 evaluation from the whole University will be presented.

Anders Berndt