Responsible use of quantitative indicators

The following aspects should be considered:

1. Quantitative indicators can be used if they contribute to evaluating the quality and impact of research at Ghent University in a high-quality manner. The quantitative indicators used must be of the highest possible quality. They must be sufficiently reliable, robust, verifiable and reproducible.
2. Whether and which quantitative indicators can be used depends on who, what and why is being evaluated. Quantitative indicators shall be used that are appropriate to the level of aggregation of the evaluation and that measure what the evaluators want to know.
3. The quantitative indicators used must respect the diversity and variety in research and among researchers. They should not (unintentionally) discriminate between branches of science, types of research, career stages, publication strategies, etc.
4. The quantitative indicators used should help evaluate a wide range of research outputs and their impacts, the underlying research processes, and the various roles and interactions among researchers.
5. When quantitative indicators are used, this should be done with full transparency, both towards the researchers being evaluated and to the evaluators. The quantitative indicators used are themselves clearly and transparently composed (and thus verifiable and reproducible).
6. Quantitative indicators are used for which the necessary knowledge is available at Ghent University. Evaluators are supported in the responsible use of quantitative indicators. Ghent University aims to inform and, where necessary, offer training to all researchers so that they can interpret, critically approach, and correctly use quantitative indicators.

When organizers of evaluations use quantitative indicators, each indicator should meet a set of criteria to ensure its responsible use. Researchers being evaluated can consider some tips when using quantitative indicators into their dossier.