UGC reforms research proposal evaluation process

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has introduced a new system through major changes in evaluation process of research proposals under second phase of Higher Education Acceleration and Transformation (HEAT) project in order to ensure greater transparency, impartiality and accountability.

Under the new system, identities of researchers and their institutions will remain confidential throughout the evaluation process. Each proposal will be assigned a unique code so that reviewers cannot identify the applicants or their institutions.

The final reviewers will be selected through a lottery from a panel of potential reviewers, UGC said.

UGC Chairman Prof Dr Mamun Ahmed disclosed the information while speaking as the chief guest at a workshop “Orientation on Sub-project Evaluation” at Bangladesh Academy of Sciences in the capital on Friday.
He said some negative perceptions had emerged regarding the selection of sub-projects during the first phase of HEAT project.

“Although there is a considerable gap between these perceptions and realities, we do not want negative perceptions about the selection process to develop among researchers and teachers,” he said.
Research quality, novelty and potential impact will be the key criteria for selecting projects, he maintained.

He further said potential reviewers had been identified from experts proposed by applicants, researchers who expressed interest through Google Forms and subject specialists identified through university websites. A high-level committee later assessed their publications, research experience and expertise, he said again.

Six to eight potential reviewers will be shortlisted for each proposal, with two selected through a lottery. Reviewers will not know which proposal has been assigned to them before the evaluation period.

“We want to keep the evaluation process as free as possible from external influence, personal communication and bias,” he said.

He added that 180 research projects funded last year were being monitored. Funding will be suspended if irregularities, misuse of funds or failure to achieve project objectives are detected, he said.

UGC members Professor Dr Machuma Habib, Professor Dr Md Aslam Hossain and Professor Dr Niaz Ahmed Chowdhury, along with HIT Project Director Dr Asaduzzaman and officials, attended the workshop.