The review committee is responsible for conducting an assessment of a research center or institute across multiple dimensions. The primary objective is to assess the unit’s viability, quality and progress. Some of the critical aspects may include (but not limited to):
- To review the scope, focus and balance of the research center/institute’s activities in light of trends in the fields and performance of comparable research centers/institutes elsewhere.
- To consider the resources available to the research center/institute for implementation of current programs and proposed developments; the efficiency and effectiveness of the research center/institute’s use of those resources; the center/institute’s accommodations and facilities and whether its allocation of funds is appropriate to fulfill its mission; and the potential for the research center/institute to attract additional external resources.
- To review the organizational structure of the research center/institute in the context of its research and other functions and to consider whether the internal administration, support structure and staffing arrangements will adequately serve the research center/institute and the University in the future.
- To evaluate the research performance of the research center/institute, including its success in attracting external funding, the extent and impact of its publications, its success in attracting graduate students and overseas researchers and visitors.
- If appropriate, to review the quality and the extent of the research center/institute’s involvement in teaching at undergraduate and graduate levels and consider the present and future relationships of teaching and research programs within the research center/institute and among other research centers/institutes and schools/colleges within the University.
- If appropriate, to review the role and the performance of the research center/institute in relation to its relevant industries.
- If appropriate, to review the impact of the research center/institute within the broader community and in internal and external service to the profession and the community.
- To recommend, in light of this performance evaluation, whether the research center/institute should continue.
- To recommend additional resources needed to move the research center/institute forward and explain the expected outcomes of those investments.
In addition, reviews of research centers/institutes with a core research facility will need to evaluate the effectiveness of the facility, based on the standard of a productive and satisfied user community:
- Quality and quantity of the research performed using the facility in terms of number and impact of research publications and other outputs.
- User demand.
- Satisfaction of the user community with the staff and support provided by the research facility.
- Overall availability of quality instrument time and capabilities to the user community.
- Internal process for effectively and fairly allocating time and resources of the research facility.
- Appropriateness of the instruments to satisfy the present and future needs of the user community.
- Performance and cost effectiveness of the operation of the research facility.
- Appropriateness of level of research and development funding for efforts related to improving operations, instrumentation, sample preparation, and upkeep of the research facility.