Prof. Raghu Raman, Dean, School of Business and Director, Amrita Center for Accreditations, Rankings & Eminence, Amrita University, spoke at the Research Intelligence Forum 2023 jointly organized by Elsevier and Karnataka State Higher Education Council (KSHEC) on 11th October 2023. The forum organized at KSHEC saw participation from Vice Chancellors and IQAC Coordinators from various universities across India also participated in the event. Prof. S R Niranjana, Vice Chairman KSHEC forum, set the context of the Research Intelligence Forum, and Dr. M C Sudhakar, Hon’ble Minister for Higher Education & Chairman, Karnataka State Higher Education Council, Government of Karnataka, inaugurated the forum.
The speaker for the first technical session was Mr. Angel Calderon, Principal Advisor Planning and Research, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia, who spoke on “Application of analytics and insights in the development of evidence-based research strategies and impact assessment frameworks.”
The second session by Prof. Raman on “Boosting Research & University Rankings”- Perspective of an Indian University highlighted how Amrita University is using SciVal as research performance indicators for identifying emerging topics, measuring the impact of collaboration, and tracking sustainability research. He stressed that the framework for university rankings and accreditations is expected to evolve constantly in today’s dynamic educational landscape. The challenge lies in striking a harmonious balance between the parameters set by domestic evaluations such as the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) and global benchmarks like World University Rankings. Furthermore, the urgent priority of aligning academic institutions with Sustainable Development Goals cannot be overstated, as it’s not just a moral obligation but also a strategic necessity for our future. In his talk, he highlighted that universities must proactively identify emerging research trends and seek potential collaborators within and beyond their borders. Emphasizing international collaborations is a key strategy for universities to broaden their global influence, foster cross-cultural exchanges, and enhance their standing on the international stage.
The subsequent session featured Mr. Robbertjan Kalff, Vice President at Elsevier, who delved into the latest methodologies employed by QS World University Rankings and THE World University Rankings, highlighting the necessary adaptations universities must make in response to these changes in the session “Rankings new methodologies and the SciVal road map.” Following his insightful presentation, a panel discussion on the ever-evolving landscape of research evaluation ensued. Prof. Santosh delivered a talk on “Building Global Academic Collaborations” in the concluding session. Dr. Shubra Dutta, representing Elsevier, extended the vote of thanks for the session. Also in attendance at the Research Intelligence Forum was Prof. Vinith Kumar Nair, the Associate Director of Amrita Center for Accreditations, Rankings & Eminence at Amrita University.
