NERC has been collecting research outputs data on NERC-funded research through its Research Outputs Database (ROD) for nearly a decade. This year’s collection exercise on ROD is progressing towards its 13 March 2012 submissions deadline.
NERC has decided it will in future adopt the Research Outcomes System (ROS) as used by AHRC, BBSRC, EPSRC and ESRC. By changing systems NERC expects to:
- Reduce the reporting burden for universities by reducing the number of equivalent systems;
- Simplify submission by moving to a more standardised questionnaire;
- Improve how publications are handled;
- Share information better between systems, reducing data entry and reducing transcription errors; and
- Improve the quality of performance information available to support the case for public investment in the environmental sciences.
The research council are putting measures in place to ensure a smooth transfer to the new system before next year’s data collection and to engage with users to obtain feedback on the system so that user requirements are met.