RAI 2018 - Aalto University Research, Art and Impact Assessment

Originally published at: https://www.aalto.fi/research-art/research-assessments

RESEARCH ASSESSMENTS
Aalto University is continuously assessing the quality of its research and artistic activities, and its societal impact. In the recent RAI2018 evaluation, external experts praised, for instance, the enthusiastic and collaborative work atmosphere, university’s infrastructure, the tenure track career system and the student-driven entrepreneurial ecosystem.

AALTO UNIVERSITY RESEARCH, ART AND IMPACT (RAI) ASSESSMENT 2018
When founded in 2010, Aalto University was given a national mission to strengthen the innovative capacity of Finland through first-class research, art and education. From the beginning, Aalto University has ambitiously developed activities based on high quality research and artistic work, and strived to build a university that is more competitive, more focused but also more collaborative across disciplines.

To evaluate the development, performance, and the future potential, Aalto University carried out a Research, Art, and Impact Assessment in 2018. The quality of research and artistic activity, as well as the societal impact were subject to an international evaluation to consolidate Aalto's international standing, and to identify fields with world-class potential.

SUMMARY OF ASSESSMENT
The chairs of the nine panels had the same main message: Aalto University has taken a giant leap forward in less than ten years. Praise was given to, for instance, the university’s strong, internationally known brand, the tenure track system leading to further internationalisation, the hierarchy supporting a good working atmosphere, high-quality infrastructure, cooperation with companies and the student-led entrepreneurial ecosystem. “Very positive sense of desire to develop Aalto to its best potential, at all levels.” “Excellent potential for achieving broad and ambitious goals for both research excellence and societal impact”, summarized the panel chairs.

Multiple panel suggested the reinforcement of diversity and, in particular, increasing the proportion of women scientists as an important area for development. The role of platforms as accelerators of multidisciplinary research should be clarified and supported even more. The panels also encouraged Aalto to critically examine the borders between different schools and departments and to consider what kind of organisational model would best support the implementation of the university’s special mission.

A bibliometric analysis conducted by CWTS recorded Aalto University to be a robust research organization, with overall a proper embeddedness into the international academic community. Research at Aalto is well cited: 20% over world average, which is seen as a sign of impact. The highest impact was observed in categories Physics and Business. On average, Aalto publishes in very high-level journals. Publications are done primarily in collaboration with foreign partners, which tends to increase the citation impact significantly. Aalto's research fields have a clear applied focus and 8% of publications have industry collaborators.