背景:报告是资助组织监测和管理进展的机制,输出,结果,以及他们资助的研究的影响。报告和奖励后管理的方法不一致,以及对研究信息日益增长的需求,可能导致人们认为不必要的行政工作会影响决策和研究活动。识别这种努力,以及利益相关者认为未满足的改进需求,如果资助者和高等教育机构(HEI)要简化其实践并为报告活动提供更好的支持,则至关重要。在这次审查中,我们总结了奖励后管理的过程,比较当前的做法,并探索收集资助研究信息的目的。我们还确定了认为不必要的努力和需要改进的领域,使用以前报告的解决方案为资助者和高等教育机构提供建议。
方法:我们对相关研究和灰色文献进行了范围审查。数据库的电子搜索,以及手动搜索期刊和资助者网站,结果纳入了52条记录和11个网站。提取了关于HEI和出资者奖励后管理流程的信息,已编目,并总结为讨论提供信息。
结果:奖励后管理是一个复杂的过程,有许多目的,但需要付出相当大的努力,特别是在研究的建立和报告方面。对不必要努力的看法源于合规效率低下,数据管理和报告方法,有证据表明行政支持机制需要改进,研究影响评估,监测,和评价。解决方案应专注于集成数字系统以减少重复,简化报告方法,并改善高等学校的行政资源。
结论:资助者和高等教育机构应共同努力,支持更有效的奖后管理流程。研究信息的价值,以及它是如何收集和使用的,可以通过调整实践和解决本审查中强调的具体问题来改进。
Reporting is a mechanism for funding organisations to monitor and manage the progress, outputs, outcomes, and impacts of the research they fund. Inconsistent approaches to reporting and post-award management, and a growing demand for research information, can lead to perception of unnecessary administrative effort that impacts on decision-making and research activity. Identifying this effort, and what stakeholders see as unmet need for improvement, is crucial if funders and Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are to streamline their practices and provide better support with reporting activities. In this
review, we summarise the processes in post-award management, compare current practices, and explore the purpose of collecting information on funded research. We also identify areas where unnecessary effort is perceived and improvement is needed, using previously reported solutions to inform recommendations for funders and HEIs.
We conducted a scoping
review of the relevant research and grey literature. Electronic searches of databases, and manual searches of journals and funder websites, resulted in inclusion of 52 records and 11 websites. Information on HEI and funder post-award management processes was extracted, catalogued, and summarised to inform discussion.
Post-award management is a complex process that serves many purposes but requires considerable effort, particularly in the set up and reporting of research. Perceptions of unnecessary effort stem from inefficiencies in compliance, data management and reporting approaches, and there is evidence of needed improvement in mechanisms of administrative support, research impact assessment, monitoring, and evaluation. Solutions should focus on integrating digital systems to reduce duplication, streamlining reporting methods, and improving administrative resources in HEIs.
Funders and HEIs should work together to support a more efficient post-award management process. The value of research information, and how it is collected and used, can be improved by aligning practices and addressing the specific issues highlighted in this
review.