Response on Next-generation altmetrics: Responsible metrics and evaluation for open science
Swedish organisation VA (Public & Science; in Swedish: Vetenskap & Allmänhet) hereby submits our response to the call for evidence on the next-generation altmetrics. We would like to thank the Open Science Policy Platform and the expert group on altmetrics attached to it, for the opportunity to give our views and advice on the role and development of metrics and altmetrics. VA’s statement is written by Martin Bergman (PhD), Project Manager, Maria Lindholm (PhD), Director of Research and Cissi Billgren Askwall, Secretary General.
Best regards
Cissi Billgren Askwall Secretary General
About VA (Public & Science) The non-profit association VA (Public & Science; in Swedish: Vetenskap & Allmänhet) works to promote dialogue and openness between researchers and the public. We believe that dialogue is a cornerstone of a democratic society and vital for ensuring that research leads to solutions to the challenges facing society globally. The association has some 80 member organisations from different sectors of society and its remit includes carrying out studies, developing meeting formats, communication, and advocacy work, both nationally and internationally. VA coordinates a national advocacy platform for the H2020 programme Science with and for Society, SwafS, and VA’s Director of Research is the chair of the EC Advisory Group on SwafS. VA is also the Swedish hub for the EU funded project RRI Tools and for the European Researchers’ Night events. The organisation is financed through membership fees, project grants and funding from the Swedish Ministry of Education and Research.
VA’s view on Altmetrics For many years the scientific community was an autonomous, self-contained system largely separated from the rest of society. This situation has slowly altered and will continue to change vastly in the future. Politicians and policymakers, as well as the research community itself, are now acknowledging that interactions between the research community and the society at large are key for the future development of research and innovation. Interaction between science and society is important for many different reasons: Citizens have a democratic right to have access to research results and findings; individuals; organisations and elected