Research productivity refers to the efficacy of research processes with respect to the quantity and quality of its contributions. In the process of building our three-part series on ‘assessing scientific research and innovation’, we learned that research productivity assessments are a tool used for many processes in the STI (Science, Technology, and Innovation) ecosystem. These processes include research funding allocation, and evaluating the efficacy of scientific R&I (Research & Innovation) in academic institutions.

Innovation can broadly be understood as a process of technological advancement, typically accompanied with economic, social, and cultural changes that denote improvement in a particular sphere of existence. The process of innovation is closely aligned with academic research and knowledge production across different disciplines, with scientific and technological innovation constituting a big part of this process. Innovation is also often viewed as a driver of economic growth, and is thus given priority status within market economies.

As one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, India is often considered the country that leads scientific research and innovation (‘R&I’) in the South Asia region. However, it still faces significant challenges in areas like investment in scientific research, systems for allocating research funding, and quantity and quality of research output. Despite varying levels of economic development, the other countries in the region (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka) fare worse on most of these parameters.

Very few STEM research institutions in India have dedicated assistance mechanisms for efficient management of their research projects. The field of Research Management (RM) has emerged as a tool to create an enabling research environment in this context.

On 26th March 2022, Centre for Civil Society hosted a panel discussion on ‘Open Access in South Asia’ as part of the PRISM - the science & technology policy dialogue series. The speakers included Ms. Anubha Sinha (Senior Researcher at Centre for Internet and Society), Dr. Haseeb Irfanullah (Independent Consultant in Environment, Climate Change & Research System, based in Bangladesh) and Prof. Devika Madalli (Chair, Working Group, Open Access India; Professor, Documentation Research and Training Centre, Indian Statistical Institute, Bangalore).