On November 24, 2021, the Berlin University Alliance (BUA) will host its first international symposium in the topic area of Research Integrity / Research Quality. The conference addresses issues of national and international quality debates in science. In particular, the tension between disciplinary, geographic, and geopolitical diversity and the demand for universality will be discussed. This tension also includes the question of reconciling unambiguous scientific evidence with reflection and plausibility. The symposium will be offered as a hybrid event in live stream and on-site in Berlin. It is organized by the objective Advancing Research Quality and Value of the Berlin University Alliance.

The event brings together stakeholders from the fields of research, politics, research funding, and science management, among others, to contribute to a differentiated understanding of the multifaceted subject of research quality, on the one hand, while on the other hand, to discuss existing practices and potential developments in terms of their effectiveness and sustainability with an international audience.

Four thematic blocks will address different dimensions of the current debate on research quality and research integrity:

1. “Diversity as an Engine for ‘Good Science’?”

The question of the importance of diversity for research and science will be explored in a hybrid world café format and followed by a discussion. The goal is to include different voices, consider distinct aspects of the topic such as gender or interdisciplinarity, and develop different strategies for addressing the lack of diversity in science.

2. “Science Literacy – Taking ‘Good Science’ in and out of Academia”

How can science be communicated so as to enable people inside and outside of academia to distinguish between “good science” and “fake news” or “post-truths”? The last few months and the COVID-19 pandemic in particular have shown that practices of scientific work are not always comprehensible, especially to the general public, and can raise doubts about scientific results, if not about “science” as a whole. The session will open with a keynote address by Dava J. Newman (MIT Media Lab), followed by a roundtable discussion.

3. “Objectivity, Transparency, Validity – Establishing Assessment Criteria for ‘Good Science’”

Evaluability and appropriate evaluation criteria of “good science”: The plurality of research traditions is reflected in the discussion about universally applicable standards for robust evidence in contrast to the diversity of research cultures, mutual criticism, and learning from it. Criticism of traditional evaluation criteria such as publications and acquired external funding has increased in recent years. The fact that these indicators do not take into account, for example, openness and transparency in research, as well as the promotion of young scholars and scientists, exacerbates the question of what can objectively be considered “good science” and how it can be evaluated. The session will open with a keynote by Lorraine Daston (Max Planck Institute for the History of Science / University of Chicago), followed by a round-table discussion.

4. Einstein Foundation Award for Promoting Quality in Research – Category: Early Career Researcher Award

Four finalists will present their projects for improving research quality. The best idea will be selected by the award panel and funded by the Einstein Foundation with 100,000 euros. With this new award the Einstein Foundation would like to annually honor researchers and institutions from all areas of science and scholarship and all parts of the world who are committed to enhancing research quality. The prize is awarded in three categories and amounts to a total of 500,000 euros. The award ceremony in the Futurium will be livestreamed by the Einstein Foundation.

Contact

For questions, the CORe team is available at: core@berlin-university-alliance.de