What Do We Measure by Evaluating Research Collaboration Networks

Abstract

This chapter departs from the idea that collaborative processes must be diagnosed and monitored. Here is an introduction to evaluation tools, some of them very well known, such as rankings or bibliometric measures. We introduce the new metrics, the altmetrics. Here, we present answers to some questions: What do we measure when we intend to evaluate universities and higher education systems? Are we evaluating research collaboration networks? In an ultimate analysis, are we not measuring just researcher productivity? So in this chapter, we question a critical view on the way indicators can even be a factor of system corruption. In another way, we assume the relevance of ethical principles to guide the selection of indicators and research work.