A label for peer-reviewed books? some critical reflections

Abstract

The recently established quality label for peer-reviewed publications in Flanders has lately aroused some interest in the international literature on scholarly communication. Although the so-called GPRC-label is in principle a welcome initiative, its implementation, from 2010 onwards, has already engendered several unexpected side-effects. This article discusses these pitfalls and traces their origin in the Flemish performance-based research funding system. It also points to a number of hard-to-solve practical problems if the quality label were to be implemented in an international context. In this way, it aims to temper the enthusiasm with which the label has been welcomed, both in Flanders and internationally. © Pieter Borghart 2013.