Responsible Metrics

NUI Galway is committed to the further development and implementation of responsible, fair and transparent research assessment processes and the adoption of the principles of responsible metrics - see statement below.  You might also like to visit the Library's section on this topic.

Statement on the Responsible Use of Research Metrics and NUI Galway

At NUI Galway, we champion our core values of Respect, Excellence, Openness and Sustainability. As a globally-focused research-led university, renowned for the quality and impact of our teaching, research and innovation, we support ambition and enable the excellence of our people. We strive for excellence and impact, underpinned by integrity and professionalism and are committed to the practice of open scholarship.

In order to realise our ambition for research excellence; monitor our performance; support development; and inform funding decisions we need to assess our research, qualitatively and quantitatively, at institutional, group/unit and individual level. To this end, as part of our broader efforts to enhance research culture and promote research integrity - and in line with our core values of Respect, Openness and Excellence - NUI Galway is committed to the further development and implementation of responsible, fair and transparent research assessment processes and the adoption of the principles of responsible metrics. We will do so in line with best practice such as the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA), the Leiden Manifesto for Research Metrics and the Hong Kong principles for assessing researchers.

We will:

• Be explicit and transparent in the criteria we use to assess research performance, outputs and other research contributions, taking account of variation across disciplines.
• Ensure a balance between the use of qualitative expert assessment and research metrics in decision-making and avoid the inappropriate use of singular metrics or surrogate measures of the quality of research.
• Recognise the value and contribution of all research outputs (e.g. publications, datasets, software, creative works) and other contributions (e.g. training researchers, influencing policy and practice, open scholarship practices).
• Ensure that the assessment of individual research performance takes account of career stage, career breaks, statutory leave and part-time working, recognising how these factors can impact performance/metrics.

Our University Management Team will oversee the work of progressing these commitments; and putting in place an implementation plan and a process for monitoring and reporting on progress in embedding the principles of responsible metrics. This will be undertaken through a consultative process. We will engage our staff throughout the implementation process - seeking input and feedback from representative groups in the design of the implementation plan; keeping them informed on the on-going work and providing training and support to ensure future good practices.