Scientific Performance Indicators – Empirical Results from Collaborative Research Centers and Clusters of Excellence in Germany

Abstract

Collaborative research centers and clusters of excellence constitute public funded programs aspiring to advance research in interdisciplinary forms of collaboration throughout Germany. Due to emerging funding volumes and increasing expectations in results, concepts for performance measurement and management gain in importance. Results of an empirical study among all actively funded collaborative research centers and clusters of excellence make obvious that key performance indicators – such as the quota of publications or the number of international visiting researchers – are central. Nevertheless, holistic methods and concepts of performance measurement seem still not to be widespread among respective speakers and chief executive officers.