Document Type : Research Paper
Author
Assistant Professor of Philosophy of Science, Department of Theoretical Studies of Science, Technology and Innovation, National Science Policy Research Center, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract
It has been several decades since the center of excellence (CoE) schemes, which are policy instruments for achieving specific goals, have been developed, and several CoEs with different functions have been established. These centers provide suitable environments for research collaborations, especially interdisciplinary collaborations, which are essential for mission-oriented innovations for addressing the grand societal challenges. However, CoEs are faced with serious problems. One problem is that, although these centers aimed to create a critical mass of top researchers, which is essential to tackle the grand challenges, there are barriers to doing so. Besides, it seems that CoEs are in opposition to the value of equity that are important in scientific activities. In this paper, after discussing the concept of excellence and the classification, ways of establishing, funding, and the rationale for centers of excellence, I will discuss the two issues of critical mass and equity. Then, inspired by the structure of networks of excellence, I will propose a CoE scheme that can address both issues by establishing a collaborative network of researchers from different institutes to work in a research area or to tackle a societal challenge.
Keywords
وزارت علوم، تحقیقات و فناوری (1395)، آییننامة تشکیل قطب علمی، https://rppc.msrt.ir/file/download/regulation/1516522262-7-10-95.pdf.
وزارت علوم، تحقیقات و فناوری (1397)، آییننامة تشکیل قطب علمی، https://rppc.msrt.ir/file/download/regulation/1558415272-97.7.7..pdf.
Aksnes, Dag W., et al. (2012). "Centres of excellence in the Nordic countries. A comparative study of research excellence policy and excellence centre schemes in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden". Oslo: Nordic Institute for Studies in Innovation, Research and Education (NIFU). http://hdl.handle.net/11250/2357780
Alvargonzález, David. (2011). "Multidisciplinarity, interdisciplinarity, transdisciplinarity, and the sciences". International Studies in the Philosophy of Science, 25 (4): 387-403. https://doi.org/10.1080/02698595.2011.623366
Bharuth-Ram, Krish. (2013). "Centres of excellence as a tool for capacity building; case study: South Africa". In Å. Olsson (Ed.), Programme on Innovation, Higher Education and Research for Development (IHERD). Paris: OECD. https://www.oecd.org/sti/Krish%20Bharuth-Ram%20-%20Centre%20of%20excellence%20as%20a%20tool%20for%20capacity%20building%20-%20Case%20study%20South%20Africa.pdf
Bloch, Carter, Schneider, Jesper W., & Sinkjær, Thomas. (2016). "Size, accumulation and performance for research grants: Examining the role of size for centres of excellence". Plos One, 11 (2): e0147726. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0147726
Bloch, Carter, & Sørensen, Mads P. (2015). "The size of research funding: Trends and implications". Science and Public Policy, 42 (1): 30-43. https://doi.org/10.1093/scipol/scu019
Borlaug, Siri Brorstad. (2016). "Moral hazard and adverse selection in research funding: Centres of excellence in Norway and Sweden". Science and Public Policy, 43 (3): 352-362. https://doi.org/10.1093/scipol/scv048
Borlaug, Siri Brorstad, & Langfeldt, Liv. (2020). "One model fits all? How centres of excellence affect research organisation and practices in the humanities". Studies in Higher Education, 45 (8): 1746-1757. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2019.1615044
Brusoni, Manuela, et al. (2014). "The concept of excellence in higher education" ENQA Occasional Papers (Vol. 20, pp. 1-44). Brussels: European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA). https://www.enqa.eu/wp-content/uploads/ENQA-Excellence-WG-Report_The-Concept-of-Excellence-in-Higher-Education.pdf
de Barros, Fabiana Barros. (2013). "Centres of excellence as a tool for capacity building; case study: Australia". In Å. Olsson (Ed.), Programme on Innovation, Higher Education and Research for Development (IHERD). Paris: OECD. https://www.oecd.org/sti/Center%20of%20Excellence%20-%20Australia.pdf
- (2002). "Decision no 1513/2002/ec of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 June 2002 concerning the sixth framework programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities, contributing to the creation of the European Research Area and to innovation (2002 to 2006)". Official Journal of the European Communities, L232 (29-08-2002): 1-33.
Elrod, James K., & Fortenberry, John L. (2017). "Centers of excellence in healthcare institutions: What they are and how to assemble them". BMC Health Services Research, 17 (1): 425. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-017-2340-y
Fisher, Robbert, et al. (2017). Mission-oriented research and innovation: Assessing the impact of a mission-oriented research and innovation approach: Final report. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union.
Frost, Tony S., Birkinshaw, Julian M., & Ensign, Prescott C. (2002). "Centers of excellence in multinational corporations". Strategic Management Journal, 23 (11): 997-1018. https://doi.org/10.1002/smj.273
Halliwell, Janet E. (2013). "Centres of excellence as a tool for capacity building; case study: Canada". In Å. Olsson (Ed.), Programme on Innovation, Higher Education and Research for Development (IHERD). Paris: OECD. https://www.oecd.org/sti/Center%20of%20Excellence%20-%20Canada.pdf
Hellström, Tomas. (2011). "Homing in on excellence: Dimensions of appraisal in center of excellence program evaluations". Evaluation, 17 (2): 117-131. https://doi.org/10.1177/1356389011400891
Hellström, Tomas. (2013). "Centres of excellence as a tool for capacity building; case study: Sweden". In Å. Olsson (Ed.), Programme on Innovation, Higher Education and Research for Development (IHERD). Paris: OECD. https://www.oecd.org/sti/Tomas%20Hellstr%C3%B6m%20-%20Centres%20of%20excellence%20as%20a%20tool%20for%20capacity%20building%20.pdf
Hellström, Tomas. (2018). "Centres of excellence and capacity building: From strategy to impact". Science and Public Policy, 45 (4): 543-552. https://doi.org/10.1093/scipol/scx082
Hellström, Tomas, Brattström, Erik, & Jabrane, Leila. (2018). "Governing interdisciplinary cooperation in centers of excellence". Studies in Higher Education, 43 (10): 1763-1777. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2018.1520476
Hellström, Tomas, Jabrane, Leila, & Brattström, Erik. (2018). "Center of excellence funding: Connecting organizational capacities and epistemic effects". Research Evaluation, 27 (2): 73-81. https://doi.org/10.1093/reseval/rvx043
Hicks, Diana, & Katz, J. Sylvan. (2011). "Equity and excellence in research funding". Minerva, 49 (2): 137-151. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11024-011-9170-6
Jacob, Merle, & Hellström, Tomas. (2023). "Affording excellence: What does excellence funding do for researchers?". Policy Studies: 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1080/01442872.2023.2267458
Kenna, R., & Berche, B. (2011). "Critical mass and the dependency of research quality on group size". Scientometrics, 86 (2): 527-540. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-010-0282-9
Koskinen, Inkeri. (2022). "How institutional solutions meant to increase diversity in science fail". Synthese, 200 (6): 483. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11229-022-03959-6
Krishna, Venni V. (2014). "Centres of excellence as a tool for capacity building; case study: India". Paris: OECD.
Longino, Helen E. (1987). "Can there be a feminist science?". Hypatia, 2 (3): 51-64. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1527-2001.1987.tb01341.x
Longino, Helen E. (1990). Science as social knowledge: Values and objectivity in scientific inquiry. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
Luukkonen, Terttu, Nedeva, Maria, & Barré, Rémi. (2006). "Understanding the dynamics of networks of excellence". Science and Public Policy, 33 (4): 239-252. https://doi.org/10.3152/147154306781778966
Manyazewal, Tsegahun, et al. (2022). "Conceptualising centres of excellence: A scoping review of global evidence". BMJ Open, 12 (2): e050419. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-050419
Mazzucato, Mariana. (2018). "Mission-oriented innovation policies: Challenges and opportunities". Industrial and Corporate Change, 27 (5): 803-815. https://doi.org/10.1093/icc/dty034
NIH (2009). "NIH centers of excellence" Biennial Report of the Director, National Institutes of Health, Fiscal Years 2008 & 2009: National Institutes of Health. https://dpcpsi.nih.gov/sites/default/files/NIH_Biennial_FY0809-opt.pdf
OECD. (2014). Promoting research excellence: New approaches to funding. OECD Publishing.
Sheykh Rezaee, Hossein, & Bikaraan-Behesht, Hamed. (2020). "Helen Longino on feminism and the role of values in science". Falsafe-ye Elm (Philosophy of Science), 9 (2): 115-138. https://doi.org/10.30465/ps.2020.4551 [Persian]
Shimada, Yoshi-aki, Tsukada, Naotoshi, & Suzuki, Jun. (2017). "Promoting diversity in science in Japan through mission-oriented research grants". Scientometrics, 110 (3): 1415-1435. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-016-2224-7
Strike, Kenneth A. (1985). "Is there a conflict between equity and excellence?". Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 7 (4): 409-416. https://doi.org/10.3102/01623737007004409
von Tunzelmann, Nick, et al. (2003). "The effects of size on research performance: A SPRU review (report prepared for the Office of Science and Technology, Department of Trade and Industry)". Brighton: SPRU, University of Sussex.
)