Evaluation of RDI activities

Project ideas

A channel for proposing a theme for research, development project, thesis, student project or training subject to a charge is always open on our website.

The stages of our RDI service concept include

1. collection of information (project ideas)
2. quarterly updating of the idea bank
3. selection of implementation and topics (the idea can be implemented as a thesis, student project, RDI project or service activity, or a combination of these).
4. communication (publication and other results and summary of results for further use).

Propose a project topic

Polamks publications and theses in the Theseus service

Evaluation of project proposals

We receive project proposals from our own organization and from outside. Our project portfolio management group considers project proposals. In many cases, the proposer of the idea is requested to provide further information to support decision-making.

The project portfolio management group utilizes separate criteria in the evaluation of the project proposals. In line with those, we review the proposals in terms of whether they are in line with the strategy, their content, source of funding, project consortium, the required resources and competence.

Feedback on funding application

After the call for funding applications is over, the provider of funding provides feedback in writing on the project application to the project coordinator. If the Police University College is a partner, we receive the feedback through the coordinator. In addition to a verbal evaluation, the feedback often includes points awarded for various sectors, awarded by the funding provider using a scale of their choosing.

Peer feedback

At the start of the project, the Project Manager or Project Officer convene the project kick-off meeting. In the meeting, we specify project implementation and prepare a project card to support planning, reporting and foresight.

Project Officers organize a roundtable for Project Managers three times a year. There, Project Managers can receive and give peer support.

We encourage project teams to record successes, challenges and best practices at various stages during the project. A summary of these provides information on foresight and experiences for example for future project applications and project working methods.

We organize research seminars where presenters receive verbal peer feedback from other participants. At the police sector research seminar (approximately twice per month) the feedback may relate for example to the contents of the research plan, the implementation of an ongoing project or the publications and other results of completed projects. At the international Northern Police Research Webinar online event (approximately once a month), we discuss project outputs and publications. This gives the presenters the chance to receive feedback also from researchers abroad, for example on contents and methods.

Information about Northern Police Research Webinar

Project monitoring in the project information system

We save the projects in the National Police Board’s project portfolio tool. In the project portfolio, we report, as instructed by the National Police Board, the operative results of projects, the risks and deviations, the targets for the next reporting period, the project’s financial situation and the human resources used.

After the end of the project, we update project results in the project portfolio alongside any changes from the original plan.

Steering and monitoring groups and final feedback

The steering group is defined according to the project’s goals and purpose and the funding provider’s instructions. The steering group is responsible for the project’s operating conditions and meeting of targets. The group also decides on the monitoring and documentation method for the project it steers.

At the end of the project, we recommend that project teams collect feedback on the project and information about experiences and on fulfilling the principles of open science and research. Police University College Communication services collect monitoring data of the project’s communication measures for the project team to utilize in evaluating project results and impacts.

Feedback from project studies

Our Bachelor of Police Services students can choose projects of 2–10 credits as elective/optional studies. We collect course feedback on project studies in line with our standard process.

Bachelor of Police Services Curriculum

Evaluation of teaching and learning

Police University College publication series

We publish studies, textbooks, reports and reviews in four Police University College publication series. The Publication Committee evaluates the suitability of manuscripts for our publication series and appoints a sponsor for accepted publications.

The sponsor makes a preliminary assessment of the quality of the manuscript for the Police University College Studies series. The Publication Committee decides on the referee procedure.

Manuscripts submitted for consideration in the Reports or Textbooks series are evaluated by two readers. Manuscripts submitted for consideration in the Reviews series are evaluated by one reader.

Publishing

Other publications

For publications outside the Police University College, the process varies depending on the publisher. Some publications are subject to external evaluation (for example VNTeas – Government’s analysis, assessment and research activities). Other parties, including members of the project’s steering group, can comment on the manuscripts.

Book reviews and essays of scientific journals are usually commented on by members of the editorial team. On expert articles, such as blogs and other online publications, and professional journals and newspapers, we receive editorial feedback and feedback related to the content.

Peer review

Peer review is an established practice in scientific publishing. In this case, the editor processing the manuscript usually finds two reviewers and makes the decision to accept or reject the manuscript on the basis of the opinions received. Usually, even when the manuscript is accepted, changes are required.

Police University College researchers offer manuscripts for publication in scientific journals in Finland and abroad, and this way, they receive feedback based on peer review. Conference abstracts are usually peer reviewed as well.

Police University College researchers participate in editing international scientific journals, and this furthers understanding of peer reviews and other feedback on publications.

Publishing

We collect feedback on our RDI events for the purpose of developing our event activities further. For example, in the electronic feedback survey of RDI networking days, we request feedback on

• how well known our RDI is
• how interesting and topical the themes are
• how successful the arrangements and communication are
• pull factors related to future events.

Our contact persons for network meetings, thematic seminars and workshops are responsible for collecting and processing feedback together with the event team.

In the kick-off meeting of new RDI projects, we process the key themes of an open operating culture. We review the implementation of openness and effectiveness as a standard element at the various stages of the project’s lifecycle and on various forums.

Open science and research at Polamk