Research evaluation in European national science and technology systems

The papers in this issue provide a clear picture of the practice of research evaluation in the European Union. Experiences differ as would be expected given the diversity of systems in which evaluation is carried out. While programme evaluations are becoming more routine, institutional reforms have created a demand for a new kind of evaluation. This includes a strategic orientation which is likely to become a regular feature of more important programme evaluations. Trends towards infrastructural innovation policies will inevitably lead to an increased demand for evaluations of initiatives in this sphere. Copyright , Beech Tree Publishing.