SIMARECH 3: A New Application for the Governance of Scientific Research

Abstract

In the international context of research assessment, many countries appear to move critically towards a quantitative evaluation policy, which would eventually complement or replace the traditional peer review system. However, infometrics studies, based on the running of large international scientific databases, are confused by the complex organization of their research system. Furthermore, these databases prove to be inadequate to study the local research institutions and units. After a description of the current situation and a needed analysis survey, this proposal presents the design and development of an information system conceived as a tool for monitoring the research carried out by a university or another institution. Based on the use of an effective application developed by a team of Abdelmalek Essaâdi University(UAE) dedicated to conduct collaborative extranet, this information system, called SIMArech “Systeme d’Information de la Recherche Scientifique”, is fully customizable in real-time. It is available in Arabic, English and French and its flexibility enables it to dynamically adjust to the specificities of any institution having research units. Actually, several universities in three countries are implementing this system to improve their management of scientific research. Several examples are given to demonstrate how this tool is able to continuously develop a state of the art or a dashboard for these structures and their scientific production. The emphasis is put on the fact that local research structures, as well as national structures, needless research evaluation than valorization of their research.