Institute for Research Information and Quality Assurance
The Institute for Research Information and Quality Assurance (iFQ) was a science research institution based in Berlin . The iFQ provided information about the German and international research and science system, analyzed its developments and, in particular, strengths and weaknesses in research funding and science governance, and advised various stakeholders from universities and research institutions, administration and politics. The institute existed since autumn 2005. The head of the institute was the sociologist Stefan Hornbostel . The iFQ was integrated into the German Center for Higher Education and Science Research as Department 2 "Research System & Science Dynamics" on January 1st, 2016 .
General
The foundation goes back to the "system evaluation of the German Research Foundation and the Max Planck Society ". An international commission set up by the federal and state governments came to the conclusion in 1999 that there was a lack of "continuous monitoring of the system" with regard to the German scientific landscape. The iFQ was founded in 2005 to counteract this deficit. Funded as a so-called "auxiliary research facility", the iFQ initially concentrated on investigating the funding instruments available to the German Research Foundation . After a successful evaluation of the iFQ, the institute's work was transferred to the operational phase in 2010. The work assignment was gradually expanded with regard to the generation of empirical, theoretical and methodological knowledge about the functioning and framework conditions of science and research in an international context. The iFQ is now financed from various sources of public research funding at national and European level as well as through research and service contracts from non-public institutions. The iFQ saw itself as a central institution for science research in Germany that is still developing in an international comparison. Since the institute, which was initially founded in Bonn, was relocated to Berlin in 2011, the iFQ and numerous local cooperation partners have contributed to the profile of science research in Berlin. The qualification of the next generation of scientists and the participation in university teaching were integral parts of the institute's work. The iFQ was a registered association. On January 1, 2016, the iFQ was integrated into the German Center for University and Science Research .
aims
- Permanent observation and evaluation of DFG funding activities
- Gathering information about the results of DFG-funded research
- Analysis of general developments in national and international research
- Development and networking of information resources
Subject areas
- Evaluation and peer review
- The focus of the thematic area was on analyzes of individual funding programs within the science system, which in particular allow the achievement of the funding goals and general strengths and weaknesses of the programs to be determined. In addition, were Desiderata determines the national and international research funding.
- Indicators and methods
- The subject area was devoted to the development and implementation of survey and monitoring instruments as well as the development and analysis of suitable indicators for the observation of the science system and its development. The Bibliometrics Competence Center was central to this topic .
- Analysis of the science system
- In this subject area, the iFQ carried out international comparative analyzes of the effects of control and evaluation procedures, governance structures and actor constellations. In addition, action-relevant information on reform and innovation processes and on the overall performance and individual performance sectors of the German science system was collected and made available.
- Young talent and careers
- The core of the subject area was the long-term observation of the next generation of academics, including the collection of relevant data for the doctorate and postdoctoral phase.
tasks
- Research information
- Provision of generally accessible information about actors, projects , results and successes of German research with the help of database-supported information systems
- Funding and research monitoring
- Permanent observation of developments in publicly funded research
- quality control
- With the help of monitoring procedures and special surveys, statements are to be made about the degree of target achievement of funding programs and the desiderata of the funding offer.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Press release of the German Research Foundation at http://www.dfg.de/service/presse/pressemitteilungen/2005/pressemitteilung_nr_38/index.html
- ↑ see page about Hornbostel at the institute at http://www.research-information.de/Mitarbeiter/mit_hornbostel.asp
- ↑ see the text of the recommendations of the international commission at http://www.dfg.de/download/pdf/dfg_im_profil/reden_stellunghaben/archiv_download/forschungsfoerderungDeutschland.pdf
- ↑ see iFQ press release of June 27, 2014: http://www.forschungsinfo.de/Presse/dokumente/pm_27-06-2014.html