Modern Trends in Research Assessment: A Case of the Netherlands

Abstract

After the departure of commercial scientific information databases such as Scopus and Web of Science from Russia, the problem of building a new system for research assessment is more relevant than ever. At the same time, the new system does not have to copy the previous one with other data sources. The purpose of the article is to analyze global trends in the field of research evaluation. The authors have examined key supranational documents and practices in introducing a responsible approach to research assessment in the Netherlands. All the reviewed sources agree on one point: research activities should not be assessed based solely on quantitative indicators, especially on the basis of surrogate measures of quality such as impact factor. In the Netherlands, all the key stakeholders in the research sphere adhere to responsible research evaluation. An important role is played by the concept of valorization, which involves the use of scientific research results in the economy and for the benefit of society as a whole. The experience of the Netherlands can be used in Russia to build an advanced system for assessing research activities, which will contribute to achieving the development goals of our country and the implementation of priorities in the scientific, technical, and socio-economic spheres.