Updated standards for evaluating scientific and technological research are needed to maximise the benefit of increased investment, the Irish Council for Science, Technology and Innovation (ICSTI).
Council chairman Dr Edward M. Walsh said increased global competition meant high standards of research evaluation would be needed if country’s success is to be maintained.
Speaking at the publication of the council's Statement Measuring and Evaluating Research, Dr Walsh said the document reflected debate in the science policy community internationally concerning the need for new indicators and evaluation techniques for knowledge-based societies.
"The development of the national innovation system is Ireland's key to sustaining competitiveness in the evolving knowledge based economy. A system that effectively evaluates or measures the outcomes from the research effort is essential if the return on investment is to be optimised," said Dr Walsh.
He said the commitment of public funding to build such competence was an important initiative and if Ireland is to fully benefit from the investment, systems that measure and evaluate the outcomes must be set up.