Evaluation of individual research units - Norges forskningsråd

Evaluation of biology, medicine and health research in Norway (2011)
unit to do focused research. The previous evaluation recommended an increase in
international collaborations, and this has occurred to some extent, but it may be possible
to explore more creative links, as discussed below.
General evaluation & recommendations
We were impressed with the breadth of the research conducted by this unit. The group is
actively engaged in a number of important research areas, and members are publishing at
a high rate. The unit is well placed to become a world leader in animal behavior and the
application of science to animal welfare, which is of increasing interest to a number of
governmental, private, and academic institutions.
Current publications are mainly in just a few journals, particularly Applied Animal
Behaviour Research, which do not have high impact factors. The group has worked well
to increase its productivity in refereed journals and to develop collaborations since the
last assessment. However, publication impact could be improved. We encourage the
group to consider the transferability of its inferences to other disciplines.
Although the self-assessment expressed some interest in trying to publish a greater
quantity of basic research, and in submitting publication to a wider variety of journals, we
felt it might be equally (or more) effective to increase the profile of ongoing work. For
example, partnerships with corporations or other entities with interests in animal welfare
could help support the activities of the university and also increase its ability to inform
decisions. Such collaborative research might be appropriate for submission to higher
impact journals.
It might be possible to obtain core or project-specific funding from food (e.g. large
supermarket chains) and catering (e.g. international fast food outlets) industries for
research on animal welfare. Research linked to national and international (European
Union) legislation on animal welfare informs decisions to adjust stocking density and
requirements for housing animals. Although the current senior scientists have started to
develop this enterprise, continuity might be increased by appointing replacements before
those individuals retire. Hosting visits from animal welfare scientists from other
countries who have been successful in raising funds and producing high impact research
might assist recruitment.
There may be potential to expand research on aquaculture. Many groups are interested in
treatment of farmed fish, and the university has an opportunity to seek funding for study
of welfare of such animals. There seem to be opportunities for cooperation between the
various marine institutes and this university.
Societal impact
Research on animal welfare has extremely high societal impact. A first rate research
group, supported by outreach and media coverage, has real potential to become selfsufficient.
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