Research Quality Assurance System

In accordance with the Higher Education Act, the internal quality assessment at Brno University of Technology (BUT) is overseen by the Internal Evaluation Board. This board operates based on the Rules for the Quality Assurance System and Internal Quality Evaluation of BUT. The quality assurance process is evaluated annually in the Report on Quality Assurance and Internal Quality Assessment of BUT.

Beyond this fundamental framework, BUT has introduced additional measures to enhance research quality and its internal evaluation. Key initiatives, which are detailed in the examples below, include:

1. Establishment and annual meetings of the International Scientific Advisory Board (ISAB) of BUT
2. Revision of evaluation rules and procedures in alignment with the principles of CoARA
3. A two-phase internal research quality assessment at BUT in 2023 and 2024 (see below)
4. Evaluation of BUT under the Institutional Evaluation Programme (IEP) of the European University Association (EUA) (see below)

Responsible Evaluation of Research and Arts at BUT

In 2022, BUT became a signatory of the Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment and joined the CoARA coalition. From our point of view, responsible evaluation in the field of scientific and artistic activities is one of the key hallmarks of respecting fundamental ethical standards.

The main priority of BUT is to focus the evaluation criteria on quality while also considering the diversity of scientific activities and outputs. In the past, the Czech Republic had a system based on the allocation of RIV points, which led to a preference for the quantity of scientific outputs at the expense of their quality. This has changed with the introduction of Methodology 17+, which included qualitative assessment through peer review, but the culture is changing gradually.

A major challenge is to consider and appreciate the growing palette of diverse missions of research organisations and the resulting diverse research and art outputs in the constantly evolving ecosystem of science, research, and innovation. It is also necessary to consider the diversity of scientific disciplines and the increasing importance of interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary, and transdisciplinary research.

More information about the activities focused on responsible evaluation can be found in the CoARA action plan of BUT.