Research Assessment Exercise University of Turku Is an International Science University

​The targets of the Research Assessment Exercise were all the departments and units of the University's seven faculties as well as the independent units that conduct research. The goal of the assessment was to identify strengths in research and departments whose research activities showed potential for the development of new areas of strengths.

– The  Research Assessment Exercise produced a valuable, external view on our research and its development. The evaluation brought the strong position of the University of Turku as an international science university to the foreground. For example, the analysis shows that most of our publications have been written in collaboration with international researchers, says Vice Rector of the University of Turku Kalle-Antti Suominen, who is responsible for research.

The assessment was carried out in three parts: self-evaluation of the units, international peer-assessment and the bibliometric analyses made by Turku University Library and Leiden University. The peer-assessment included 54 international researchers from outside the University of Turku, who formed seven panels, one for each faculty. All in all, the panels interviewed hundreds of the University's researchers.

– The results give us concrete tools when we are implementing the University's new strategy for 2016-2020, says Suominen.

The unit-specific reports and the bibliometric analyses of the Research Assessment Exercise are now available on the University's webpages: www.utu.fi/rae

Text: Jussi Matikainen
Photo: Hanna Oksanen
Translation: Mari Ratia