Talking about research quality means giving the people a view on the second mission of the University. The idea of quality descends from different aspects as the ones linked to simple research or the others which are more related to the levels of the institution UniPD and the nation. Research quality is the outcome both of what is produced and the socioeconomic aspects related to it. Research quality is the direct consequence of an assessment that is conducted by different institutions and boards specialised. Every department has a specific board, and there is also ANVUR, the national Italian agency for the evaluation of universities and research institutes. The agency’s main task is to coordinate the assessment of the academic system across different projects, through the VQR (research quality assessment) that uses indicators to analyse every university department.

Assessments are based on publications, and related them there are other indexes like the ability of the structures to attract external resources from competitive calls, in and outcome international mobility. Those evaluated include researchers, full professors, associate professors and technologists involved at universities and in other private or public institutions. Assessment is based on a peer-to-peer evaluation system and provides the insertion in every University of entities dedicated to this activity. In Padua, the department is independent, so related to central level, there is the Commissione per il Presidio della Qualità della Ricerca(CPQCR) thatcoordinates and supportsdepartments in their activities related to quality assessment of departmental research. The research quality of MAPS is assessed, guaranteed and introduced through the Department Directorto theCommissione Piano Triennale di Sviluppo della Ricerca and theCommissione Piano Triennale di Sviluppo della Terza Missione.

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What do they do? The tasks include planning and drafting documents necessary to outline the future roles of the departments that are based on a great deal of evaluation. The PTSR board (Programma di Sviluppo Triennale della Ricerca) plans the Assicurazione della Qualità del Dipartimento referred to the research inserting it in the SUA-RD (Scheda Unica Annuale di Ricerca Dipartimentale). The SUA-RD is a document that shows developing models of research intentions for the next three years. The Progetto di Sviluppo Dipartimentale and the Documento PTSM (Programma di Sviluppo Triennale della Terza Missione) contain the intentions of the third mission of every department for a three-year period.

There is something more than these documents, which can be download here and in a dedicated area of this site.

In fact the MAPS department pursues research with the Budget Integrato per la Ricerca dei Dipartimenti (Integrated Budget for Departmental Research) assignation. This budget is important for supporting departmental autonomy, and in particular, its strategic decision. Over recent years, MAPS has adopted an assignation governance of the BIRD  to enhance research quality. A management system during and ex-post stand by the yet present resources distribution to increase the quality of scientific production.