VQR: record-breaking figures for Unipd research

The National Agency for the Evaluation of the University and Research System (ANVUR) has presented the first data on the Evaluation of the quality of Italian research (VQR) 2020-2024, which analysed the scientific output, third mission activities and the resources obtained from international competitive calls of universities and research bodies.

The scientific publications assessed (articles, monographs, book chapters, etc.) amounted to approximately 186,000, the accredited researchers were approximately 76,000 and, for the first time, around 13,000 additional outputs by “Researchers who obtained the title of doctor of research in the period 2017-2023, not affiliated with institutions participating in the VQR as of 1/11/2024” were assessed.

The University of Padua submitted for assessment 6,814 research outputs by 2,733 researchers, 808 publications by PhD graduates who obtained their qualification in Padua in the period 2017-2023, 388 international competitive project records, for a total amount of more than 151 million euros, and 27 case studies relating to the third mission.

The quality indicators used by ANVUR are: “R1 - outputs of permanent staff”, “R2 - outputs of newly recruited and promoted staff”, “R1_2 - all research outputs”, “R3 - research training”, “R4 - third mission” and “R5 - international competitive projects”; these indicators measure the quality of the outputs of each individual university against the average quality of all Italian universities, taking into account the weight of the different scientific areas.

The best performance of the University of Padua is recorded in the R1 and R2 indicators, where – overall – the University achieves the highest assessment compared with the other state universities assessed.
In the other indicators, the University always achieves results above 1, meaning a quality consistently above average, thus always placing well within the mega-university segment.

The results of the VQR 2020-2024 will also be used for the allocation of the performance-based share of the FFO, according to the arrangements already set out in the Ministry of University and Research’s 2024-2026 three-year planning.