GoKawiilNew framework proposed for comparing national research systems across 25 countries
A research team has developed a methodology to compare how countries fund and organize scientific research, drawing on data from 25 nations through a project called the China Fundamental Research Report. The approach goes beyond standard output metrics like publications and patents, aiming to capture harder-to-measure factors such as how funding structures affect researchers' careers over time.
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Existing international comparisons rely heavily on OECD statistics and publication counts, which the project's lead researcher argues fail to explain why some funding and institutional models work better than others. A more granular, standardized framework could help policymakers identify which practices actually strengthen research systems, though its usefulness will depend on adoption by other researchers and funders.
- A research group has built a new framework for comparing national research systems across 25 countries
- The project, called the China Fundamental Research Report, seeks to capture overlooked factors like career impacts of funding
- Current comparisons rely on inconsistent national data and output-focused metrics that obscure underlying causes
Source: nature.com — Zhang, 2026-10-19
Published there as: “How to compare and strengthen research systems”
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