Dr Nelius Boshoff, senior lecturer and researcher at the Centre for Research on Evaluation, Science and Technology (Crest) at Stellenbosch University, is well placed to ask the question: what is the social impact of academic research?
Crest is host to the DST-NRF Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Scientometrics and Science, Technology and Innovation Policy (SciSTIP) that was awarded to the university in April this year. Boshoff has dedicated the past number of years to analysing publications by local and African researchers related to the scientific impact of research. Methodologies for assessing the scientific or citation impact of research publications are well established.
“On the other hand, assessments of the social impact of research in many ways still represent unchartered territory as there are a multiple of opinions as to what “social impact” means and how it should be measured,” he explains.
“SciSTIP’s focus on assessing the social impact of research will bring together insights from a diverse set of literature, as well as other sources, to map current developments and best practices in the emerging field of research impact assessment.”
The Centre will build local expertise in research impact assessment and enrich the predominantly international literature with new insights and frameworks informed by local research. Allied to this is the objective of showcasing the social impact and benefits of local research activities.