Researchers' views on diversity of career assessment criteria in Finland: a survey report

This report presents the basic results of a survey conducted among researchers in Finland on the importance of diversity in career-assessment criteria. The survey was created by a working group on Responsible Assessment of the Researcher for the purpose of informing the development of the Finnish Career Assessment Matrix (FIN-CAM). FIN-CAM will be a toolbox for the implementation of the Good practice in researcher evaluation (Working  group, 2020). 

The survey was conducted by the Federation of Finnish Learned Societies (TSV) during November and December 2023. Researchers were defined as persons who participate in various ways in professional activities aimed at producing new knowledge, applying knowledge in a new way, developing knowledge or making use of it in education. The survey received 440 anonymous responses across career-stages, fields, and types of institutions. Respondent population somewhat overrepresented social sciences and humanities and experienced researchers' views. 

During their careers, most respondents had faced evaluation situations where they felt inappropriate methods or metrics had been used (55%), or where the goals, criteria, or data of the evaluation had not been openly known to all parties (52%). In open answers, clarity, transparency and consistent application of evaluation criteria emerged as good practices, while narrow focus on research and especially publication and journal based metrics – and their priorisation over other contributions to research and society – were pointed out as major shortcomings in assessments. Many respondents expressed concerns about favouritism in the evaluation processes.

When asked to rate the importance of various career-assessment criteria, most respondents regarded a great variety of outputs, contributions and activities related to outputs, research process, teaching, societal interaction, leadership and open science as “very important” or “moderately important” for their assessment. Respondents also indicated a variety of relevant working-life skills. Yet, researchers cannot and should not be expected to excel in every competence area or activity.

Findings from the survey provide strong support for the responsible research assessment agenda (e.g. CoARA) and the development of the FIN-CAM. Together with a narrative CV and research information systems, FIN-CAM can support a more comprehensive, systematic and transparent documentation, consideration and recognition of the diverse areas of researchers' work.