The Impact on Research Quality of Performance-Based Funding: The Case of New Zealand’s PBRF Scheme

This paper appraises the impact on the research quality of New Zealand universities of the Performance-Based Research Fund (PBRF), a peer-review process that assesses individual researchers.The paper identifies the contribution to improvement in research quality arising from transitions among research quality categories, and entrants and exits of individuals.It traces a substantial component of change from 2003 to 2012 to the removal of non-research active staff.It also finds a large reduction in the number of younger researchers, and population ageing due to retention of older and higherquality researchers.Significant differences among universities are evident in the patterns of transformation.The paper also critically considers the PBRF assessment process and characteristics of the metrics used, suggesting scope for improvement in the assessment of researchers and the way in which universities are ranked.8 Since 2016, the percentage allocations have changed to 55:25:20 respectively.9The TEC guidelines refer to these scores as 'unweighted individual component scores'.10 Only research output from the previous six years qualifies for assessment.11 The recognition that new researchers may take time to establish their research, publications and academic reputations led to the introduction in 2006 of new categories, C(NE) and R(NE), although having the same numerical score as C and R respectively.12 However, if they move within a year of the census date, the funding is divided between the two relevant institutions.