In this paper, we engage with the Research Excellence Framework (REF) -- the UK government's national policy tool for competitive allocation of scarce research funding. Success on the terms of the REF provides guaranteed income for UK Universities for a 6- or 7-year period -- and as a result, we suggest that the REF operates as an asset-like…

This study examines Thailand's educational knowledge system, analyzing its structural characteristics, challenges, and opportunities for development. Using a mixed-methods approach, the research combined survey data from 195 faculty members, in-depth interviews with 30 experts, and analysis of institutional research outputs from 2016-2021. The…

Using crowdfunding as a source of research funding is becoming a more and more important part of the landscape of higher education institutions. The relevant literature indicates that the success of the entire initiative mainly depends on the initiator. Despite this, it is not clear what challenges are related to crowdfunding in research and what…

As academic research evolves into distinct identities of specialised knowledge, institutional and paradigmatic barriers are formed between research teams, which demand enhanced research collaboration and cross-fertilisation of ideas. Drawing on the concept of cross-fertilisation, this paper adds original contributions to literature on research…

This paper presents a comparative study between the Brazilian and Dutch national evaluation systems of research and graduate education. Science systems can be as distinct as the social-economic circumstances, established governance, and cultural realities of each country, and both evaluation systems under analysis were developed from very…

Higher education institutions dominate research productivity in many parts of the world. Nonetheless, many academics in developing countries--including Tanzania--perform poorly in research. This study aims to qualitatively explore the barriers to research productivity in Tanzanian public higher education institutions. Using semi-structured…

The field of research impact assessment (RIA) has seen remarkable growth over the past three decades. Increasing numbers of RIA frameworks have been developed and applied by research funders and new technologies can capture some research impacts automatically. However, RIAs are too different to draw comparable conclusions about what type of…

Three years post-pandemic, the global higher education sector faces a crucial turning point. COVID-19 deepened existing inequities but also drove global innovation and adaptation. This report highlights five key themes discussed by Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) members from over 20 Commonwealth countries at the 2024 ACU…