Institution Profile: University of Edinburgh

• After signing DORA, the University of Edinburgh’s Research support office produced a Responsible Use of Research Metrics statement in 2019, alongside a blog setting out the University’s commitment to appropriate uses of numbers and data analysis in research assessment, particularly at the individual level.
• The production of the statement gathered input from two focus groups representative of academic staff.
• Drawing on the focus groups and insights from the Leiden Manifesto, DORA and the UK Forum for Responsible Research Metrics, the statement commits to ensuring: transparent, fair and appropriate use of information to support effective decision-making in research evaluation; clearly communicating research evaluation methods; using suitable indicators; using appropriate quantitative metrics normalized or presented with suitable context; and maintaining transparent data usage, linking and reporting.
• The University has established a working group on research metrics to oversee further implementation of the responsible metrics statement and explore recommendations derived from staff focus groups, including use of Biosketches in individual assessment processes. The University website also set up a ‘suggestion box’ for staff to submit examples of good research assessment practices to.