Activities

The Department of Science Policy and Scientometrics within the Library and Information Centre of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences serves as a national centre for scientometrics, bibliometrics, research evaluation and research monitoring. Similarly to international centres of scientometrics, we are engaged both in service and research. The department's primary task is to provide relevant information for the decision-making and evaluating units, leading forums, organizations and institutions of the MTA through professional analytic service, regular investigations and data service, as well as various national and international tasks.


  • Research Assessment and Research Monitoring for MTA Institutions and National Higher Educational Institutions The principal task of the TTO is to track the scientific performance of MTA-institutions, to evaluate it through bibliometric methods and to provide structural analysis. Analyses are created via up-to-date methods, taking into consideration international standards and proved practices, using the latest achievements of scientometric research - applying a wide range of data sources (under strict quality control). Achievements are summarized in regular reports, through which information is provided for the MTA General Assembly, the management and the government agencies (e.g. as part of the MTA's governmental and parliamentary reports). There is regular co-operation with R&D&I related organizations and central units concerned with higher educational policy. We inform the governmental bureaus and ministries of the achievements of MTA- and higher education-related scientometric research. Another important task is related to MTA evaluation procedures: the department is responsible for the modernization of these processes (e.g.: PhD evaluation criteria).

  • Monitoring in Relation to Scientific Policy and Science Sociology The TTO regularly monitors the methods of MTA science policy, it evaluates the performance of research support schemes and observes their short and long term effects. The "MTA Életpálya Monitor" (literally "MTA Career Monitoring") is a permanent evaluation system initiated in 2014. It engages in the tracking and impact assessment of the main research support schemes (Lendület Program [Momentum Program], Bolyai János Kutatási Ösztöndíj [János Bolyai Research Scholarship], Posztdoktori Kutatói Program [Post-Doctoral Research Program], Fiatal Kutatói Program [Young Researchers Program]).

  • International (EU) research projects Thanks to its internationally recognised work, the TTO regularly takes part in European research projects and consortiums. The department provided successful method development for the FP 7 project (2011-2013) of the Science in Society Observatory (SISOB). At present we are participating in the FP7 project of the Evaluating the impact and outcomes of SSH research (IMPACT-EV) and two COST-programs (PEERE, KnowEscape), the latter two focusing on the peer review system and knowledge and science mapping.

  • TTO and MTMT The Department is an important contributor to the development and manifold use of MTMT (The Hungarian Scientific Bibliography). The TTO takes part in preparing the database for scientometric and science evaluation purposes, and its professional use on both individual and aggregated (institutional, national, etc.) level.

  • Quality Control and Expertise: Translational Scientometrics Utilising its previous research and professional experience, the TTO's basic tasks include providing assistance to the MTA and other R&D related national institutions with regard to professional advice, expert reports, quality control and information service. The quality control of the procurements of MTA research evaluation, the support of the professional use of EISZ-databases (Web of Science, etc.), professional services to national higher educational institutions and the operation of on-line services (TTO Info Repertory) are also among the department's activities. A more general goal is the development of national research evaluation methods, and the mediation between scientometrics as a research field and research evaluation in practice (translational scientometrics).

The so-called "scientometric school of Budapest" is an important predecessor of the department, hallmarked by such internationally renowned researchers as Tibor Braun, Wolfgang Glanzel and András Schubert. The same researchers are the founders and editors of Scientometrics, an international journal published in a Springer-Akadémiai Kiadó collaboration, that still excels within the field even on a global scale. These prominent researchers remained important contributors to the department's work: Wolfgang Glänzel, editor in chief of Scientometrics and the director of the KU Leuven Centre for Research and Development Monitoring, is the department's co-worker, whereas András Schubert (editor of Scientometrics among others) is the department's collaborator. The Department of Science Policy and Scientometrics is a successor to the Institute for Research Organisation.