An Evaluation Of Teachers’ Scientific Research Performance: A Case Study Of Hunan University

Nowadays, improving the quality of the students, promoting the scientificresearch level and strengthening the ability to serve the society have been identifiedas the three main functions of institutions of higher education. This thesis selectsHunan University, a national key university, as the sample university for the research.As a comprehensive research-oriented university, Hunan University stresses theimportant role the management of scientific research plays in its regular management.Therefore, how to promote the positive effects of performance assessment on theuniversity’s scientific research so that it can better serve the developmental goals ofthe university is significance to the whole management system of Hunan University.Based on the literature reviewed, this study adopts both quantitative and qualitativemethods, which include specifically a questionnaire survey and teacher interviews.This thesis studies the current scientific research performance assessment system inHunan University, including its present situation, its significance, the existingproblems and corresponding suggestions. The main content is first maintains that thecurrent performance assessment system of Hunan University has clear goals and is inaccordance with the long-term development of the university. This system is flexibleand the goals can be achieved within a certain period of time, and it is also feasible toassess the scientific research fulfillment. This thesis then discusses the problemswhich have emerged from the current evaluation system, such as the improper ratiobetween teaching and research assessment, the lack of clear-cut quantificationstandard and assessment standard, the necessity to strengthen the teachers’ scientificresearch abilities, and inadequate consideration of the feedback of performancereview results. As to these above-mentioned problems, the thesis suggests measures toimprove the system, which include attaching more importance to the scientificresearch assessment, strengthening the construction of academic morality to ensureacademic freedom, strengthening the pertinence of targets, promoting thedevelopment of young teachers and scientific research capacity of research groups. Inthe last part, this thesis gives an explanation to the limitations of the current system,makes suggestions to implement scientific research performance assessment, anddiscusses how to promote the scientific research performance assessment in universitymanagement systems. It also points out that each university should try to find out aperformance assessment system which fits its own situation, and the specific indexes should be decided by taking into account the specific situation the university is facedwith and also the situation of the society and the country.