A bimonthly publication of AQU Catalunya

75

November 2014

As I stand down from the chairmanship of AQU Catalunya's Research Assessment Commission (CAR), it is an ideal moment in time to analyse and take stock of what the Agency has represented up until the present time. The Minister for Universities, Andreu Mas-Colell, considered that I would be appropriate for the position of the first chairman of the Research Assessment Commission. Eleven years have gone by since then and, as far as I am concerned, the Commission's work throughout this period of time has been nothing less than excellent.

The Research Assessment Commission was set up on 2 April 2003 pursuant to articles 146 and 147 of Act 1/2003, 19 February, concerning the universities in Catalonia, and its powers are as follows:

• The issue of accreditation for research and advanced research prior to university recruitment of senior academic and professorial staff, respectively.
• The review and evaluation of six-year research quality premiums, in reference to the work of researchers, and the assessment of the individual merits in research of both public service and contract teaching and research staff with regard to salary upgrades.
• The quality assurance of research work by teaching and research staff at private universities.

The Research Assessment Commission plenary consists of 21 members: the chairperson, four members designated by the minister responsible for universities, and sixteen members designated by the AQU Board of Management, at the proposal of the Commission's chairperson. In order to fulfil its responsibilities, the activities of the Commission are dealt with by twelve specific committees, six of which deal with the accreditation of research (senior lecturers) and six which deal with the accreditation of advanced research (professors), according to the different subject areas (Humanities, Social Sciences, Experimental Sciences, Life Sciences, Medical and Health Sciences, and Engineering and Architecture).

Throughout this period of time, around three hundred (300) experts have, at one point or another, formed part of the Research Assessment Commission and its various committees, the majority from within the system of universities and higher education in Catalonia.

In particular, I'd like to point out the following activities of the Research Assessment Commission in this period:

• The establishment of general criteria for the issue of accreditation for research and advanced research, and for the assessment of merits in research of both public service and contract teaching and also research staff at private universities (six-year research quality premiums).
• Establishment of the general procedure for the issue of accreditation and the review and evaluation of six-year research quality premiums and the setting of public calls for applications.
• The setting up of specific committees according to the different subject areas, which are in charge of drawing up specific criteria for, and the assessment of, applications.
• The ruling over appeals against decisions by the specific committees of the Research Assessment Commission.

The activities carried out by the Research Assessment Commission have been highly important for the Agency itself and the system of universities and higher education as a whole in Catalonia as they deal with the quality assurance of people being recruited as teaching and academic staff. All together, there have been twenty-one (21) calls for applications, with a total number of 6,283 applications, of which 77.8% were for the acceditation of research and 22.2% for advanced research. 55% of the applications for the accreditation of research and 59% of those for advanced research received a favourable evaluation. Although this has been the most important work undertaken by the Research Assessment Commission during this period, mention should also be made of the recent importance acquired of the review and evaluation of six-year research quality premiums of academic staff at universities in Catalonia.

Regular meetings of the Research Assessment Commission are held approximately once every six months. Recently there has also been the work of the preliminary assessment of applications to the Serra Húnter programme. All in all, the activities of the Research Assessment Commission have been very extensive, highly participative and with a high level of excellence. Over time, the review and evaluation criteria on the Agency's website have also been appropriately improved and enhanced.

To round off, I must add that the support received from the entire structure of AQU Catalunya has been excellent. I would like to publicly express my gratitude to the Agency's head of Teaching Staff and Research, Esteve Arboix, his predecessor, Josep Manel Torres, and all those working in the Teaching Staff and Research section for their support, and also to those who, in the work being carried out by the Agency, are and have been involved to a greater or lesser degree in the assessment of teaching staff. During my time with AQU Catalunya, I have had the opportunity to compare and discuss criteria and concepts with the various presidents and CEOs that have held these positions. To all of them, I cannot begin to express my appreciation.

I should also mention the succession of ministers responsible for the universities who have given their support to the Research Assessment Commission during these years. The future of the Research Assessment Commission is fully assured with the new president, Lluís Torner, and, I trust, with the development of the Serra Húnter programme.

Many thanks.