Research Evaluation – University of Bern Researchers
Unlike institutional units, individual researchers at the University of Bern are not systematically evaluated. Evaluations are conducted only for specific purposes, such as in the context of job applications or when applying for university funding.
The University of Bern fully supports the movement to reform research evaluation and promotes a culture of responsible and fair research assessment. It has signed the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment, the Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment, and the Barcelona Declaration. It also coordinates the Better Science Initiative, which advocates for a diverse and equitable scientific culture.
Since bibliometric indicators do not adequately reflect the quality of individuals, the University of Bern takes into account not only publications but also all research outputs listed by ORCiD, including datasets and software.
Fair evaluation strategies
The University of Bern implements various measures to promote fair and equitable evaluation. These include clear and transparent assessment criteria, support of reviewers during the evaluation process, relevant training, and the use of evaluation tools such as the SCOPE Framework for Research Evaluation and the Swiss National Science Foundation’s Narrative CV.
University of Bern researchers in rankings
Researchers at the University of Bern regularly achieve top positions across various disciplines in international rankings (e.g., Clarivate). However, these rankings are of secondary importance to the University of Bern, as they are usually based on bibliometric criteria and do not provide a comprehensive picture of performance.