Scots call for research assessment watchdog

The Scottish Universities Research Policy Consortium, which includes 14 universities and colleges, has called for a watchdog to ensure that research assessment criteria are applied fairly when dealing with interdisciplinary research. The watchdog should work alongside single subject assessment panels and institutions must decide the best balance between single subject and interdisciplinary research, the consortium says. Funding methods need to be investigated to check incentives and barriers. The Scottish Higher Education Funding Council has given the consortium Pounds 150,000.