Research Quality Assessment (VQR)
The Research Quality Assessment (VQR) is the national procedure by which the Ministry of Universities and Research (MUR), through the Italian National Agency for the Evaluation of Universities and Research Institutes (ANVUR), evaluates the results of scientific research carried out by Italian Universities and Research organisations.
The first VQR exercise was launched in 2011, covering the period 2004-2010 (7 years).
The second VQR exercise was launched in 2015, covering the period 2011-2014 (4 years).
The period of the national Research Quality Assessment was then set at 5 years (Law n. 232/2016 art 1, comma 339).
The third VQR exercise was launched in 2020, covering the period 2015-2019 (5 years).
The forth VQR exercise is underway regarding the period 2020-2024 (5 years).
In line with what is already happened in many European countries, Italy has also developed a system for evaluating research results, with the aim of measuring the effectiveness and impact of research activities, often carried out with public funding. This is useful:
- to compare data and results with other research organisations, to increase awareness of its strengths and weaknesses
- to guide future policies, including the allocation of public resources, to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of its actions, for the benefit of society as a whole.
MUR has given ANVUR the task of organising and implementing the VQR exercise at national level.
For the evaluation procedures, ANVUR adopts the peer review methodology, flanked by bibliometric information depending on the scientific area, Entrusting the Expert Evaluators Group (GEV) with the task of expressing, for the research outputs under assessment, a judgement on originality, methodological rigour and impact.
The results of the assessment exercises are used:
- by MUR, for the purposes of distributing the Ordinary Finance Fund (FFO) and other resources related to research and knowledge exploitation activities
- by University, for the purposes of distributing internal funds and to define its own strategic goals
- by Departments, during the self-evaluation sessions about research and exploitation of knowledge activities.