Short Abstract

A panel of metascientists who study the institutions they work in (both universities and funders) will discuss specific project examples, the opportunities and challenges of this kind of metascience, and offer insights for others looking to research research at (or beyond) their institutions.

Long Abstract

As metascientsts, we are interested in studying the systems in which we are embedded in order to learn and improve them. In cases where the system is a single institution, the person studying the system might also be working within it.

This privileged position gives the researcher a unique insight, providing direct access to high-quality evidence that can be used to inform and shape the institution’s policy. Beyond the immediate access to data that might be otherwise unattainable for researchers outside the institution, researchers studying their own institutions are also able to solicit more candid and direct responses from their colleagues, enabling more accurate observation of their experiences. These and other benefits are the basis for the business case to support dedicated metascience units within institutions.

With those advantages also come challenges. Studying your own place of work can create tension between the researcher and the organisation, as scrutinising the unpublished and confidential data can lead to uncomfortable truths being discovered, and also the perception of bias when viewed from the outside.

Six researchers working and studying their own higher education (Cambridge, Leeds) and funding (ZonMW, AQuAS, SNSF, and Novo Nordik Foundation) institutions will present an example of their own practice and reflect on challenges and opportunities to implement research on research. The panel will discuss the actual contribution, use and impact of research on research, and who or what actually benefits.