Reorganizing Canadian Research Evaluation through Metadata in the Digital Era

Abstract

"This presentation was given by Quintin Kreth at the 2026 Bibliometric Research and Impact Community (BRIC) Conference on 3 June 2026 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Advancing digitalization is rapidly increasing the volume and interconnectedness of research metadata, including information on authorship, collaboration, funding, location, and impact. Large companies such as Clarivate, Elsevier, and Digital Science have expanded into “research analytics,” transforming the metadata they control into a valuable economic asset for evaluating research at scale. Supporters of the Open Science movement warn that commercial control over research information and metadata systems may limit equitable access to knowledge and contribute to new inequalities. They advocate for open, inclusive infrastructures that promote access, linguistic diversity, and a broader range of research topics. Organizations like DORA, CoARA, and the Barcelona Declaration group have gained influence in shaping science policy toward more responsible metrics. Despite these global trends, empirical research on how digital infrastructures affect research evaluation remains limited. This presentation shares early findings from a new Canadian study based on interviews with university and funding agency leaders, conducted in parallel with studies in the. Results suggest Canada has been relatively resistant to adopting research analytics compared to other developed countries. Contributing factors include the absence of a national assessment system, commitments to multilingualism, and a strong emphasis on knowledge mobilization and hard-to-quantify research outcomes. Future research directions and implications for Canadian research policy are also discussed."