10 January 2020
In 2019 Ex Libris commissioned the independent research agency Alterline to survey researchers and research office managers. The resulting paper, ‘Supporting academic research: understanding the challenges’, is based on the findings of a survey of 300 researchers and interviews with nine senior members of research offices in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. It examines the needs of the research enterprise when conducting and producing research at institutions of higher education.
Findings included:
- not enough time and too much stress: while researchers feel well supported by the research office and the library, they feel time poor and stressed
- finding funding is a growing challenge: in spite of the support available, researchers find sourcing funding and applying for grants the most difficult part of their roles
- it is unclear how to measure impact: research impact is increasingly important, but it’s not clear how to meaningfully measure it
- streamlining would improve effectiveness: in order to support their roles, researchers and those in the research office want more streamlined systems
- management systems should be user-friendly: researchers say it is important that research management systems are easy to use, aid collaboration, and save time
- researcher profiles are often incomplete: there are significant challenges in showcasing researcher profiles and keeping them current
- the library can play a greater role: there is an opportunity for greater collaboration between the research office and the library in supporting researchers