Inclusion in Local and International Academic Communities

Abstract

Research assessment has been in constant flux in Lithuania. After twenty years of experimenting with metric-based research assessment, policymakers introduced the Comparative Expert Assessment (CEA) along with additional measures––of economic and social impact––that were relatively new to Lithuanian academics. After CEA 2018, the experts stated that some areas were still stagnating and would probably not improve without focused efforts.

At the end of 2018, Eleonora Dagienė started her PhD research at CWTS (the Center of Science and Technology Studies at Leiden University, the Netherlands), seeking to investigate quantitative research assessment and its unintended consequences. Additionally, continuing her research at Mykolas Romeris University, Eleonora has sought to identify the drivers and barriers in applying national research assessment tools.

Through an in-depth analysis of more than fifty interviews, inclusion emerged as one of the significant and contentious issues. Policymakers use instruments to push Lithuanian researchers beyond the "local" towards international academic communities while researchers struggle with inclusion in both local and foreign communities.

These initial findings prompted Eleonora Dagienė to look for experts working on the inclusion topics and organise events to bring their knowledge to the community. The seminar and roundtable discussion are a result of that effort.