More evidence is needed to develop and reform research assessment
Research quality is assessed, for example, when researchers are recruited or research funding is awarded. Assessment practices therefore influence researchers' work and the conditions under which research is conducted.
Efforts are being made to develop research assessment so that research quality and different types of research contributions are recognised more comprehensively. However, more evidence is needed to understand which assessment practices work and what factors influence the progress of assessment reforms.
REALISE brings together existing research and produces new evidence on assessment methods. The project also examines why assessment reforms are more successful in some organisations and disciplines than in others.
– What is valued in research assessment also influences what kinds of research are worth pursuing. This is why developing assessment practices is important for the entire research community, says Janne Pölönen, who leads TSV's work in the REALISE project.
The project's findings and recommendations will help universities, research organisations and funders develop research assessment based on research evidence.
What can publication channels tell us about research quality?
Information about the journals in which researchers publish their work continues to be used in research assessment. Internationally, one of the most widely used indicators is the Journal Impact Factor (JIF), which is based on citations to articles published in a journal. In Finland, particular attention has been paid to the use of the Publication Forum classification (JUFO).
Research quality cannot be assessed solely on the basis of where research is published. Information about publication channels and journal impact factors provides only a limited picture of the quality of individual research outputs.
As part of REALISE, TSV examines why and how this information continues to be used in different types of research assessment and what alternatives might be available.
– Information about research publication channels can be useful, but it should not be used as a shortcut for assessing research quality. We want to find out in which situations and how this information can be used responsibly, Pölönen explains.
For example, TSV examines whether national publication channel registers could offer alternatives to the use of journal impact factors and what challenges are associated with their responsible use.
However, changing assessment practices does not depend solely on the availability of new methods or indicators. TSV also identifies factors that may facilitate or constrain the implementation of responsible research assessment in different organisations and operating environments. These may include disciplinary and regional differences in funding and assessment systems and organisational cultures.
The aim is to better understand why the same assessment reforms may work differently across organisations, disciplines and assessment contexts.
Follow the project's progress
REALISE started in September 2026 and will continue until August 2029. Funded by the EU's Horizon Europe programme, the project brings together nine partners from eight countries.
The project's website provides updates on the progress of the research and information about forthcoming results. It offers information particularly for research organisations, funders and others interested in developing research assessment.
TSV will share updates on the progress and results of REALISE through its website and communication channels. The project's themes may also be addressed in expert events and training sessions.