Annual symposium of Swiss ERIC community

The symposium began with 90-second pitches from the Swiss nodes, which provided a glimpse of existing and future ERICs. In a very short time, all attendees had an overview of Swiss participation in ERICs that focus on fields such as biology, medicine, environmental and earth sciences, humanities and social sciences. The services that the nodes provide to the relevant research communities were also highlighted along with the general added value that Switzerland derives from ERIC memberships. However, how can the performance and impact of such participation be understood in general terms and, if necessary, reinforced or expanded? The second part of the symposium addressed these questions.

Focus of 2024 symposium: Impact assessment and performance monitoring

After a keynote speech by Dr Jana Kolar, Executive Director of CERIC ERIC and former Chair of the European Strategy Forum for Research Infrastructures (ESFRI), participants separated into small groups to discuss individual aspects of impact assessment and performance monitoring. There they shared their experiences and expectations. 

How can the performance of ERICs and Swiss nodes be measured? During the discussions on performance monitoring, it became clear that current performance monitoring varies greatly among ERICs, with some taking a more quantitative approach and others a more qualitative one. Most Swiss nodes already provide performance monitoring data to their central ERIC hub. The data are usually based on key performance indicators (KPIs) specified by the ERIC. Although ESFRI aims to consolidate KPIs for all ERICs, finding a common definition is difficult because the objectives and structure of each ERIC are very different. What all ERICs have in common, however, are their efforts to achieve Open Research Data (ORD) and FAIR Data. In addition to the KPIs specified by the ERIC, many Swiss nodes supplement their reporting with additional indicators. SERI is now working with Swiss stakeholders to examine which KPIs are already being collected, when and how, and how reporting can best be coordinated with them.

And how can the impact of ERICs be measured (most effectively)? The discussions on impact assessment showed that the various methods used for impact assessment each offer their own advantages and disadvantages. There is no ‘one size fits all’ solution. Furthermore, when reviewing the effectiveness of ERICs, it is important to bear in mind, firstly, that the impacts of ERIC activities need time to manifest themselves and become visible and, secondly, that the amount of time and effort required to collect the data should be reasonable. In the discussion of possible impacts, it also became apparent that the scientific impact is often clear, but that other dimensions of impact, such as communication, are less obvious and therefore more difficult to measure. Looking ahead to future impact assessment of Swiss participation in ERICs, the participants first discussed and specified the objectives to be achieved by Swiss participation. These objectives will form the basis of an impact model that will be used to review the corresponding impact at a later date. The objectives can also be used for reporting purposes in order to keep an eye on or facilitate the desired impact. 

Common understanding of performance and impact

The goal of the 2024 symposium was to develop a common understanding within the Swiss ERIC community of performance and impact of Swiss participation in research infrastructure networks. The feedback from discussions will be used to establish the leanest possible annual reporting and performance review of Swiss nodes. On this basis, all those involved will jointly and sustainably shape Swiss ERIC policy.