Human Sciences Research Council Programme Review

This project involved the programme review by an independent, external panel of the Research Use & Impact Assessment (RIA) unit of the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC).

RIA is a cross-cutting unit that seeks to extend and enhance the use and impact of scientific research from the HSRC and other sources of research, and manage the HSRC’s relationships, reputation and brand.

The mandate of our 5-member panel was to conduct an institutional-level review of the 5 sub-sections of the RIA unit, one sub-section of which is HSRC Press, the scholarly publishing unit of the HSRC.

In addition to broader programme review responsibilities below, my particular remit was to review and assess the functioning and performance of HSRC Press, independently as well as within the context of the objectives and focus of the RIA unit as a whole.

The focus of the institutional-level review was as follows.

• Consider the relevance and appropriateness of the RIA programme within the HSRC and externally.
• Assess the ways – in the context of the HSRC’s matrix organisational structure – in which the programme adds value (as a cross-cutting and multi-disciplinary entity) to the work and outputs of, and performs corporate functions for, the HSRC.
• Evaluate the scientific rigour of the programme as measured by its ability to respond to new developments in the environment, as well as peer reviewed publications output.
• Test alignment of the programme with relevant national priorities and government outcomes, as well as HSRC objectives and priorities, and relevant objectives mandated in the HSRC Act.
• Take stock of congruence with, and the progress made towards achieving, the programme’s stated objectives.
• Assess capacity to mobilise sustainable (e.g. medium-term) sources of external funding.
• Assess the effectiveness of the programme’s leadership and its attention to issues of transformation and succession planning.
• Assess the structure, staffing and internal coherence of the RIA programme.
• Produce a report at the end of the review with recommendations to strengthen the programme.

The review was also to provide an opportunity for the restatement of the mandate and objectives of the RIA programme.