Research, Technology and Innovation Policy

Background

State interventions in research, technology and innovation (RTI) have a long tradition and today form an independent field of state policy. For decades, evaluation methods have also been used in this policy field to examine the scientific or technological quality and success of RTI projects or corresponding institutions and to investigate the various effects of publicly funded measures (realized or expected effects, direct and indirect effects, economic, technological, social, ecological effects, etc.) (see also the overview article: Astor, Michael et al. 2014: „Evaluation von Forschungs-, Technologie- und Innovationspolitik in Deutschland und Österreich - ein Überblick", in: Böttcher et al. 2014).

Tasks and objectives

Since its foundation on the occasion of the 1st annual conference of DeGEval (1998 in Cologne), the RTI working group has offered all evaluators and those interested in RTI evaluations in Germany and Austria a platform for the exchange of experience and the further development of content and methodology.

Members and interested parties

Today, the working group includes around 200 evaluation experts and people interested in the policy field of RTI; they come from research institutes, consulting firms, funding agencies and ministries.

Activities and communication

The RTI working group usually holds its own sessions at the DeGEval annual conferences. In addition, an annual spring conference is organized (alternately in Germany and Austria). The working group also participates in cross-working group activities and is generally open to such activities.