The future potential analysis is an innovative assessment model that has been developed for the evaluation of research projects. It was first used in selecting the projects for the impetus programme “Laura Bassi Centres of Expertise”.

On the one hand, the specialist quality of the applications was examined; on the other, management, personnel development and team leadership competences have been included in the assessment catalogue. Because such skills are indispensable these days, especially in application-oriented research. The future potential analysis thus contributes to a new management-oriented research culture in answer to current demands on the job profile of a researcher. The aim is to establish this new research culture in the global research landscape by implementing a systematic catalogue of criteria that is in line with the changes in the scientific world of work: more interdisciplinarity, more project management, more team leadership.

The quality criteria of scientific excellence to date concerned mostly specialisation in certain fields, quantitative publication activities and impact points. A scientific career often worked on the principle of a “crown prince model”, i.e. a superior chose his (her) successor based on connections rather than qualifications. Beyond that, the focus was on individual past accomplishments. This understanding of science constitutes a career obstacle for those working in science whose life story does not correspond to such a conventional career model, which means that it mostly affects women. As a result, scientific research misses highly qualified female scientists whose competences are not reflected in top-level management but who are an important motor for scientific progress.

A future-oriented understanding of science needs to be established to enable highly qualified researchers to develop their potential. The focus must not be exclusively on previous achievements but also on the performance to be expected in the future, i.e. the potential that has become apparent from the career of the researcher in question so far: e.g. talents for innovation, management, personnel development and taking opportunities (i.e. working under difficult basic conditions like part-time agreements and maternity/paternity leave). Such a potential-oriented understanding of science permits non-traditional career models, offers talented researchers new perspectives and takes varied networks and target groups into account.
Future potential based on the submitted applications was analysed for the first time as part of the two-stage selection process for the Laura Bassi Centres of Expertise.

• 10 FAQs - Detailed informationen about the future potential analysis
  
• Recommendations - recommendations in the scope of the European Forum Alpbach 2010
  
• Concept - scientific concept by Karin Grasenick, head of convelop