Hcéres receives a delegation of Irish and Romanian agencies

Le Département Europe et international du Hcéres a accueilli ses agences homologues irlandaise et roumaine afin de partager ses pratiques en matière d’évaluation de la recherche, notamment dans le cadre de l’évaluation intégrée, en accord avec les ESG (standards and guidelines for quality assurance in the european higher education area).

Upon request of the Irish agency QQI and the Romanian agency ARACIS for its expertise in research evaluation and integrated evaluation, Hcéres organised a 4-day seminar on this topic, in cooperation with the CTI and the Ministry of Higher Education and Research. 

Sophie Guillet (Hcéres), Stefania Armaselu (ARACIS), Florentina Paraschiv (ARACIS), Sabine Epitalon (QQI), Amélie Bensimon (Hcéres), Solange Pisarz (CTI)

During these four intense days, which mobilised all the Hcéres departments, the delegation of European counterparts was trained in research evaluation methodology, the way it is taken into account in an integrated institutional evaluation and how it interacts with research integrity. In order to better appreciate the impact of Hcéres evaluations and their context, a study visit was organized to give them the opportunity to meet with all the stakeholders. Thus, the delegation discussed with representatives of an institution, Sorbonne University, on one side, and the Ministry of Higher Education and Research on the other side. 

For the Irish agency, which does not yet have a research evaluation component, 

The experience at Hcéres has provided concrete information for implementation in the next seven-year evaluation cycle in Ireland. The fact that the contract between institutions and the French Ministry is at stake seems to reinforce the impact of Hcéres evaluations » [Sabine Epilation, Senior executive officer, QQI].

Among other specificities, QQI has advanced procedures for monitoring evaluations, with annual quality assurance reports associated with case studies submitted each year by all universities. The agency is also particularly involved in the field of academic integrity, which provided an opportunity for exchanges with the French Office of Research Integrity (OFIS) on the bridges between academic and research integrity.

Florentina Paraschiv, from the Romanian agency ARACIS, points out that:

Hcéres' organisation and advanced evaluation methods reflect the size and specificities of the French research and higher education system. ARACIS does not yet have a department dedicated to the collection and management of databases, as is the case at Hcéres, but this may prove useful in the future in order to deal with the increasing volume of information shared with multiple stakeholders » (Florentina Paraschiv, Quality Inspector, ARACIS).

Like the French stakeholders they met, the Irish and Romanian agencies agree on the importance of a qualitative evaluation of research, as practiced at Hcéres, so as not to encourage the academic publishing race and the raise of fraudulent practices.

Receiving the delegation of European counterparts at this seminar is a continuation of the cooperation with QQI, initiated through the GAIN (Global Academy Integrity Network), launched by the Irish agency and which Hcéres joined in 2022, and also with ARACIS, whose vice-president Daniela Cristina GHITULICA is also a member of the Hcéres Board. Exchanges will continue in Romania where Sophie Guillet will be welcomed in March.

Thierry Coulhon (Hcéres), Sabine Epitalon (QQI), Florentina Paraschiv (ARACIS), Sophie Guillet (Hcéres), Stefania Armaselu (ARACIS)