Academic Resources

On this page, we provide a list of major academic studies and landmark reports on the topic of national research assessment systems, as a reference point for anyone delving into this topic.

We undertake a thorough review and update of this reading list at a minimum of once per year to ensure it remains current.

• Adams, J., Beardsley, R., Bornmann, L., Grant, J., Szomszor, M., & Williams, K. (2022). Research assessment: Origins, evolution, outcomes. [Report]. Clarivate. https://www.researchinformation.info/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/ISI-Research-Assessment-Report-205.pdf  

• Boer, D., Jongbloed, B., Benneworth, P., Cremonini, L., Kolster, R., Kottmann, A., Lemmens-Krug, K., & Vossensteyn, J. J. (2015). Performance-based funding and performance agreements in fourteen higher education systems. Center for Higher Education Policy Studies (CHEPS). https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Performance-based-funding-and-performance-in-higher-Boer-Jongbloed/2aa085a039cb592bdeef3a02039c3559f0c1eec1  

• Curry, S., Gadd, E., & Wilsdon, J. (2022). Harnessing the Metric Tide: indicators, infrastructures & priorities for UK responsible research assessment. [Report]. Research on Research Institute. https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.21701624.v2  

• De Rijcke, S., Cosentino, C., Crewe, R., D’Ippoliti, C., Motala-Timol, S., Binti A Rahman, N., Rovelli, L., Vaux, D., & Yupeng, Y. (2023). The Future of Research Evaluation: A Synthesis of Current Debates and Developments. https://doi.org/10.24948/2023.06  

• Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture (European Commission), Jongbloed, B., McGrath, C., Boer, H. de, & Gayardon, A. de. (2023a). Final report of the study on the state and effectiveness of national funding systems of higher education to support the European universities initiative. Volume I. Publications Office of the European Union. https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2766/885757  

• Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture (European Commission), Jongbloed, B., McGrath, C., Boer, H. de, & Gayardon, A. de. (2023b). Technical annexes to the final report of the study on the state and effectiveness of national funding systems of higher education to support the European universities initiative. Volume II. Publications Office of the European Union. https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2766/598606  

• Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (European Commission). (2010). Assessing Europe’s university-based research : expert group on assessment of university-based research. Publications Office of the European Union. https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2777/80193  

• Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (European Commission), Sturn, D., Arnold, E., Debackere, K., Spaapen, J., & Sivertsen, G. (2018). Mutual Learning Exercise: Performance based funding of university research : Horizon 2020 Policy Support Facility. Publications Office of the European Union. https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2777/644014  

• European Research Executive Agency (European Commission), Oancea, A., & Wilson, S. (2024). Report on research assessment. Publications Office of the European Union. https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2848/931335  

• Geuna, A., & Martin, B. R. (2003). University Research Evaluation and Funding: An International Comparison. Minerva, 41(4), 277–304. https://doi.org/10.1023/B:MINE.0000005155.70870.bd  

• Global Research Council (GRC). (2024, May 28). Dimensions of Responsible Research Assessment [Online resource]. Figshare. https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.26064223.v3  

• Hicks, D. (2012). Performance-based university research funding systems. Research Policy, 41(2), 251–261. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2011.09.007  

• Joint Research Centre (European Commission), Jonkers, K., & Zacharewicz, T. (2016). Research performance based funding systems: a comparative assessment. Publications Office of the European Union. https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2760/70120  

• Lepori, B., Jongbloed, B. W. A., & Hicks, D. (Eds.). (2023). Handbook of public funding of research. Edward Elgar Publishing. 

• Oancea, A., Derrick, G., Nuseibeh, N., & Xu, X. (Eds.). (2024). Handbook of meta-research. Edward Elgar Publishing. 

• Ochsner, M., Kulczycki, E., Gedutis, A., & Peruginelli, G. (2021). 2.3 National Research Evaluation Systems. In R. Ball (Ed.), Handbook Bibliometrics (pp. 99–106). De Gruyter. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110646610-011  

• OECD, & Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2010). Performance-based Funding for Public Research in Tertiary Education Institutions: Workshop Proceedings. OECD Publishing. 

• Technopolis. (2019). International Landscape Study of Research and Innovation Systems. https://www.technopolis-group.com/report/international-landscape-study-of-research-and-innovation-systems/  

• Technopolis. (2020). Science Europe Study on Research Assessment Practices. https://doi.org/10.5281/ZENODO.4915998  

• Vasen, F., Sarthou, N. F., Romano, S. A., Gutiérrez, B. D., & Pintos, M. (2023). Turning academics into researchers: The development of National Researcher Categorization Systems in Latin America. Research Evaluation, 32(2), 244–255. https://doi.org/10.1093/reseval/rvad021  

• Whitley, R. (2007). Changing Governance of the Public Sciences. In R. Whitley & J. Gläser (Eds.), The Changing Governance of the Sciences (Vol. 26, pp. 3–27). Springer Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-6746-4_1  

• Wilsdon, J., Allen, L., Belfiore, E., Campbell, P., Curry, S., Hill, S., Jones, R., Kain, R., Kerridge, S., Thelwall, M., Tinkler, J., Viney, I., Wouters, P., Hill, J., & Johnson, B. (2015). The Metric Tide: Report of the Independent Review of the Role of Metrics in Research Assessment and Management. http://rgdoi.net/10.13140/RG.2.1.4929.1363  
• Zacharewicz, T., Lepori, B., Reale, E., & Jonkers, K. (2019). Performance-based research funding in EU Member States—a comparative assessment. Science and Public Policy, 46(1), 105–115. https://doi.org/10.1093/scipol/scy041  

If you believe any key studies or reports are missing from this list, please email us at g.beres@researchonresearch.org to suggest additions.