The reviewer committee, consisting of the two evaluators Ben Martin from Science Policy Research Unit, United Kingdom and Erik Arnold from Technopolis Group, the Netherlands, evaluated CIRCLE for the first time after its reorganization in 2018.

– CIRCLE clearly contributes to the university’s renewed focus on interdisciplinary research and addressing the societal challenges, in line with broader national research and innovation policy, state the reviewers.

A positive outlook

The CIRCLE management is appreciative of the evaluation and the report.

– Overall, we find that the evaluation was carefully conducted and resulted in a balanced outcome. It shows how CIRCLE has evolved and has developed in the right direction after the reorganization in 2018, says CIRCLE’s director Markus Grillitsch.

The evaluation aimed to review the status of the centre and to help setting the course for the coming years. The new management has according to the evaluators, already proven to be resourceful and ambitious:

– By introducing the new category of affiliate membership, CIRCLE has significantly increased the size of its network within and outside the university. 

Publications are increasing

The number of publications authored by CIRCLE members have increased steadily every year since the re-organisation. The evaluators point out that CIRCLE publish in the most widely read journals in several areas and continue:

– Research Policy is generally regarded as the leading innovation studies journal, and it is encouraging to see a substantial number of articles by CIRCLE published there.

Moving forward as a community

With guidance from the evaluation report, the CIRCLE management is currently involved in several activities with the aim to deliver research excellence and to make a difference in society. Focus lies on strengthening the research milieu, providing an inspiring environment for researchers at different stages in their careers, and further developing the sense of belonging to a supportive research community. Markus Grillitsch concludes:

– Since its reorganisation, CIRCLE has attracted 60 new members who see the value of being part of CIRCLEs research community. We have shaped new networks across faculties and disciplines, and the evaluation testified the importance of CIRCLE. On this basis, it is exciting to develop CIRCLE further as a community, deliver high standard research, provide developing opportunities for a new generation of innovation studies researchers, and contribute to the many challenges of our society.