An independent report conducted by the Evaluation Centre of Western Michigan University has found that the National Research Fund (FNR) of Luxembourg applies the highest international peer review standards.
The results were announced by the Evaluation Centre's director, Chris L.S. Coryn on FNR Info Day, after the Centre was selected as the choice institution following a tender launched in spring 2015. FNR is obligated, according to the multi-year agreement signed with the Luxembourg Government, to submit its procedures and selection criteria for independent analysis of the quality, independence and fairness of the CORE programme.
CORE constitutes the principal financing programme of the FNR, which aims to reinforce the quality of Luxembourg research in domains of socio-economic interest to the country.
"The CORE evaluation and selection process if transparent, fair, impartial and unprejudiced," the American institution's report found. "The procedure allows the FNR to select and finance in an effective and systematic manner the best projects in scientific research, and this at the highest international level. The FNR achieves this by implementing and applying the best practices of successful peer review in its evaluation procedures."
Dr. Chris Coryn equally highlighted that "a large majority of the stakeholders in CORE - applicants, international assessors, expert panel members, similar European agencies, etc - recognise and appreciate the continued efforts of the FNR to reduce the distortions (real or imagined) whilst ensuring and perpetuating the transparency and independence of the process."
"I am delighted to see that in a short time, we have managed to establish an institution which reached the highest international standards," welcomed Marc Schiltz, Secretary General of the National Research Fund. "An institution which must not fear the comparison with other major European agencies."
"A a public institution, we have a high responsibility to the Government and taxpayers," added Yves Elsen, President of the Board of the FNR. "This independent report confirms that we carefully and responsibly manage the public money that we are granted, by selecting and funding the best scientific research projects."
Photo by FNR
