5 Overarching Issues Common to both ERA and EI
There are a number of issues that concern both ERA and EI that will be covered in this section. Key issues include:
The frequency of ERA and EI rounds
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• Opportunities to simplify and streamline ERA and EI
• Taking advantage of recent developments in technology and big data.
5.1 Frequency of ERA and EI The timing of ERA rounds has changed over time. The first full round was implemented in 2010, with the next following in 2012. From this time, the evaluation has been completed on a triennial basis, with a six-year reference period for research outputs. At present, the triennial cycle for ERA enables currency of the ratings for research excellence. ERA is a retrospective assessment of performance (for example, performance reported in ERA 2018 considered research that occurred between 1 January 2011 and 31 December 2016). A longer interval between ERA rounds would extend the lag time between when research activity occurs and when performance is reported through ERA. While the frequency of ERA and EI rounds is ultimately a decision for Government, the ARC is interested in obtaining the views of stakeholders about the frequency of ERA and EI rounds to inform the advice it provides to Government.
Issues to be explored
Q5.1
How often should ERA occur? Every three years; Every five years; Other, please specify. Please explain your answer. What impact would a longer assessment cycle (i.e. greater than three years) have on the value of ERA results, particularly in the intervening years? Please explain your answer. How often should the EI assessment occur? Every three years; Every five years; Other, please specify. Please explain your answer. What impact would a longer assessment cycle (i.e. greater than three years) have on the value of EI results, particularly in the intervening years? Please explain your answer.
Q5.2
Q5.3
Q5.4
5.2 Streamlining and simplifying ERA and EI The ARC is interested in other changes to the submission processes for both ERA and EI that could simplify and streamline them, and reduce the reporting burden on universities. A number of possible streamlining ideas have been put forward by universities including: • Decoupling ERA and EI and running each in different years. The ARC has already announced that next rounds of ERA and EI will occur in 2023 and 2024, respectively.
• Annual collection of ERA data. Annual collection of ERA data is outlined in Section 3.3.1
The use of publicly available data.
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