Research and technology evaluation in the United Kingdom

It can be argued that the UK has one of the most advanced research evaluation systems in Europe. This system has developed from a means of ensuring value for money in public expenditure, to a process aimed at informing decision-making at all levels, including that of policy-making. This paper describes the UK's evaluation system in the context of the country's science and technology policy, in terms of the actors, institutions and methodologies involved. It discusses the most recent developments in this field, and asks whether or not they address the problems that still beset the evaluation process, even after many years of practice. Copyright , Beech Tree Publishing.