Research monitoring and audit in art and design

Abstract

Periodic assessment of research in UK universities has taken place since 1986. This is used as a case study in order to highlight the key issues involved in monitoring and auditing of research. The most recent audit in the UK took place during 2014 with the results being published at the end of 2014. This case study is concerned with art and design though all disciplines were included in the national assessment. The method used for assessing research quality is outlined and the results summarised. Primarily this was by means of peer review of published research outputs by a panel of leading experts in the area, with international experts to ensure parity with international standards. Other factors used were the impact of the work being submitted and the quality of the research environment where the work had been done. The standing of the vehicle of publication was not used as a proxy for the quality of the publication, though citation data was used in some areas to confirm evaluations. Practice-led and practice-based research have also generated substantial discussion in terms of seeking a consensus on what is appropriate for developmental purposes and academic assessment. In addition, this area also needs evaluation methods which are fair and consistent across different types of practice. The lessons drawn from the evaluation by the UK Research Excellence Framework in 2014 are detailed. A comparison of peer review methods with the use of bibliometrics is presented. A number of issues are identified and discussed. These include the staff selected for submission, the method of evaluation, and a cost-benefit analysis of the process.