40 This number contains 4 sociologists and 3 political science researchers.
52
6.1 Sociology at the institutional level
Institute of Transport Economics (TØI) was founded in 1964 as an institute affiliated to the Research Council of Norway, and it was reorganised as an independent, private institute in 1986. It functions as a national centre for research on transport and society, and combines publicly funded scientific research with commissioned research for both private and public actors. It employs more than 80 researchers from different disciplines, seven of whom are listed for the evaluation of sociology.
Organisation, leadership and strategy
What stands out in TØI’s self-assessment is its strategy to prioritise interdisciplinary research, which has been the main driver of its organisation, which is divided by research themes and not classical disciplines. Its report is on the safety group, which is part of the ‘Safety and Environment’ department.
There are only four sociologists working in this department, and, in spite of a good self-assessment report, the contribution of sociologists is bound to be limited. In the other department ‘Mobility and Organization’, there are seven sociologists involved, so that the overall engagement of sociologists at TØI is not insignificant (the third largest discipline). However, its role is not clearly presented in the report. The department and the research areas have several strategies for research development. In addition to requiring funding from the Norwegian Government, TØI also cooperates with international research bodies, either through applications for EU funding or through participation in workshops and conferences. This, in turn, is reflected in a good publication record in international peer-reviewed journals.
Institutional follow-up of previous evaluations
TØI was not part of the previous evaluation of sociological research in 2010.
Resources and infrastructure
Though most of its time is spent on external research projects, the institute is highly motivated to produce research of high international quality. For this reason, TØI also uses internal time for research development when necessary. The institute’s most prioritised form of research dissemination is through journal articles, which is financially supported (if not through external funding, then through internal support).
Research environment
TØI seems to be active in maintaining a good research environment through participation in international workshops, conferences and networks. It is unclear, however, what the internal engagement is in terms of guest lectures, summer schools or seminar series within or across departments.
Research personnel
TØI has a clear recruitment strategy at both the junior level – the recruitment of new master’s graduates – and the senior level – experienced researchers. They are also active in PhD training. TØI stimulates its employees’ (with at least 2 years’ seniority) further education and development by granting them up to one year’s leave. This opportunity does not seem to be used very frequently, however.
The institute supports the recommendations of the European Commission in the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers.
53
There is no information on the personnel balance in terms of age or ethnic diversity. As regards gender, the balance decreases with seniority level. There is no specific strategy for addressing this, as it is assumed, according to the interview, that time will resolve it. However, in 2016 the institute appointed 12 researchers, 10 of whom were female.
Research production and scientific quality
The institute’s main Traffic Safety research fields are: Safety and Crash Countermeasures, Safety and Behaviour, and Safety and Organisation. Due to its strategy to prioritise interdisciplinary research, the institute has increasingly produced research of an interdisciplinary nature. The selected publications are in well-ranked journals, though their focus is rather narrow: four of them were in the same journal on Accident Analysis and two were meta-analyses. More importantly, in spite of its goal to produce interdisciplinary research, the sociological contribution is almost absent. Although the scientific quality of its work is high with respect to other disciplines, this is not the case for international sociology.
Assessment of scientific quality: 3 - good
Interplay between research and education
The institute addresses the interplay between research and education (1) by engaging senior researchers as tutors for MA and PhD students; (2) by involving various researchers in teaching at university level; and (3) by stimulating PhD students to become involved in staff research activities.
Applied research is the institute’s main activity, however.
Societal relevance and impact
TØI generates knowledge about transport safety and local environmental problems that is relevant to planning and decision-making processes. It has very strong strategies for dissemination and knowledge exchange, such as reference groups and meetings with stakeholders; its website; use of social media;
news media, TØI reports, academic papers, presentations at seminars and conferences. The institute’s research has various links with the thematic priorities set out in the Norwegian Government’s Long-term plan for research and higher education. Moreover, its research is the most-cited in Norway, and, judging by the submitted cases, it seems to be very beneficial to society, public policy and services, and the quality of life in general.
Overall assessment
TØI has established a good profile in applied research, which is demonstrated in well-ranked, albeit fairly specialised, international publications as well as in valuable societal impact in Norway. However, it is hard to evaluate either the sociological contribution or the overall reach of this research among sociologists. No strategy is in place to explicitly strengthen or raise the profile of sociology within TØI.
Feedback
TØI needs to shift its focus and become more international in terms of funding and strengthen the contribution of sociology to its interdisciplinary research. An explicit strategy and reflection on the relative contributions of interdisciplinary and discipline-based research and the ways each are to be fostered would be valuable going forward.
54 groups: (1) Working life and safety, (2) Welfare, politics and policy and (3) No. of PhD graduated at the institution per year
Male/Female -/- -/- -/-
R&D expenditures and sources of funding (1000 NOK) Total per year - - - No. of positions announced / No. of qualified applicants per year
We do not have a record of all applicants, so the numbers are a best guess. None of the researchers in the sociology panel is recruited in the period 2014 – 2016.
Source: The Research Council of Norway, Self-assessment report for the institution, 16/12960