Incentive Mechanisms for Researchers to Participate in Targeted Interactive Research and Innovation Processes–Beyond Academic Relevance

Summary

The objectives of this study are twofold. Firstly the objective is to identify possible incentives and evaluation criteria for research organisations and individual researchers that are or can be used in addition to scientific excellence. A further objective is to identify means of strengthening incentives for individual researchers to take part in multi actor research and innovation process-es. In this study, we have developed ten recommendations on the basis of literature analysis and theoretical reflection. They include six potential changes at the level of research policy (P1-P6), and four recommendations at the level of research institutions (I7-I10).
For each recommendation we give the following details: a) a short description of the recom-mendation itself, b) an explanation and justification for the recommendation c) examples of where these recommendations have already been adopted and d) potential stumbling blocks to be considered when implementing the recommendation.
Recommendation P1
Create and promote new evaluation criteria for funding of research proposals that reward not only disciplinary excellence but also achievements in inter-/transdisciplinary work.
Recommendation P2
Include practitioners/experts along with scientific experts on selection committees for project funding and evaluation processes for research proposals.
Recommendation P3
Creation of new evaluation criteria for the performance of institutions that include achievements in interactive research.
Recommendation P4
Support sabbaticals or short-term visits/internships of junior and senior researchers in industry, political and administration units or civil society organisations.
Recommendation P5
Provide funding for research-practice partnership projects that involve science and practice on equal footing
Recommendation P6
Establish an easily accessible data base/repository for high quality non-academic publica-tions/articles
Recommendation I7
Develop targeted training courses for undergraduates, graduates, doctoral students and experi-enced researchers to enhance the necessary skills for effective science-practice interaction.
Recommendation I8
Creation of specialised centres and of a new discipline Integration and Implementation Sciences
Recommendation I9
Establishment of a comprehensive data base assembling information about institutions, methods, tools, publications and trainings on interactive research
Recommendation I10
Include assessment of a researcher’s (non-academic) societal impact into the overall evaluation of his/her performance.