The Flemish research discipline list: from creation to implementation

Abstract

In 2011, Peters et al. wrote a report on the administrative simplification of research reporting in Flanders. Next to the description of several data flows that could be harmonised, validated and merged into CRIS systems, the report also contained important recommendations on the use of common standards and classifications that could lead to more efficient and qualitative research information (systems) and thus more efficient research reporting. In the context of reporting on research output and expertise, data is clustered based on research disciplines. Currently, a variety of research discipline classification lists are used in Flanders, each depending on the authority to whom a researcher is obliged to report. Because the existence of several research discipline lists for a region as small as Flanders is redundant and inefficient, one of the most important recommendations of the report by Peters et al. 2011 was the creation of a single research discipline code list that could be used to tag discipline related information inside CRIS systems. By using a single classification list by all Flemish stakeholders, an important efficiency gain can be realized with the researchers, the administrative services of the host institution as well as the financing institutions.

Since 2015, ECOOM-Hasselt has been working on 1) integrating the existing Flemish research discipline lists that are used for describing and classifying research, into a single Flemish discipline list, 2) providing each of the disciplines with a definition that specifies the semantic borders of each research discipline, and 3) evaluating the resulting discipline code list on completeness and granularity of the disciplines and on the correctness of the accompanying definitions. This work resulted in the “Flemish research discipline list”, a single four-level hierarchical and semantically-enriched list of research disciplines covering all scientific research performed in Flanders following the rules of classification governance. The implementation of this classification list however, also demanded the development of concordance schemes towards the existing classifications, in order to ensure a smooth transition into all CRIS systems, i.e. without historical data loss. Currently, the Flemish research discipline list is being implemented in the CRIS systems of several stakeholders in Flanders (FWO, VLIR, Flemish government, universities, etc.), and will be used to display research in Flanders on the FRIS research portal from 2019 onwards.