At Northumbria we are working
on how we can improve how we assess research and use metrics responsibly.
Responsible Research Assessment is the fair, transparent, and expert-led evaluation of research and researchers. It utilises context-sensitive judgement and inclusive values to recognise quality, integrity, and impact across all disciplines.
We are signatories of DORA (The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment) and a subcommittee of
Research Culture Committee has been working on the development of our
responsible research assessment principles and implementation.
We have developed a set of Northumbria Responsible Research Assessment Principles and
activities are underway to celebrate, promote and embed them across all
relevant policies and processes.
Research assessment is conducted in the
light of our University Values and Behaviours, with
full consideration of our commitments to Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity
(EDI). Northumbria University is committed to providing the resources necessary
for promoting, delivering and monitoring RRA, including for data-handling
systems. The following should be considered when undertaking any form of
research assessment:
Purpose
We assess research with purpose and clarity, ensuring
criteria are transparent, context-sensitive, and aligned with the values of our
research community.
Engagement
We engage and empower the research community,
involving researchers in shaping assessment processes and providing feedback,
training, and support to foster shared responsibility.
Integrity
We promote integrity, openness, and trust in
assessment, recognising responsible research practices and encouraging open
research wherever possible.
Expertise
We apply expert judgement to evaluate research on its
own merits, using peer review and narrative evidence to recognise quality,
creativity, and disciplinary diversity.
Responsibility
We use indicators responsibly and with care, applying
them only where appropriate, well-contextualised, and never as a substitute for
expert judgement.
Diversity
We value the full range of research contributions,
including diverse outputs, practices, and roles that support and enable
research excellence.
Please see the full Responsible Research Assessment Principles.
