Quality and Evaluation of Research and the Third Mission
Luiss Guido Carli’s quality assurance policies for research and the Third Mission are formulated in line with the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG2015), as adopted by ANVUR (the National Agency for the Evaluation of the University System and Research) and defined by the national AVA system (Self-Assessment – Periodic Evaluation – Accreditation).
The Departments define strategic objectives, responsibilities, and lines of action in accordance with the University's Strategic Plan. The results of these actions, as well as the quality of research and the Third Mission, are regularly monitored and evaluated through internal processes that align with ministerial standards and are also linked to resource allocation. This allows for prompt improvements when needed.
VIR | Internal Research Evaluation
The University is committed to advancing knowledge by promoting research, fostering cultural and professional development, ensuring the quality of scientific output, and transferring innovation. For Luiss, this means a commitment to giving its scientific output maximum visibility, including through the use of reward systems that recognize the contributions of individual researchers while also attracting successful faculty.
The VIR – Internal Research Evaluation – is an internal research evaluation process that annually awards individual research funding based on the quality of publications from the previous three years, as recorded in IRIS, the University's Research Outputs Catalog. The evaluation uses a classification of journals and publishers based on internationally recognized quality criteria, inspired by those adopted for the VQR. The criteria and lists, developed with input from the entire Luiss research community, are clear, transparent, and thoroughly documented, and are available to all researchers on the Intranet.
The Regulations for awarding research funds on a merit basis are available on the Statute and Regulations page. The lists of journals and publishers, along with the score assignment tables, are available in the dedicated section of the Luiss Intranet. You can access it using your institutional credentials.
VQR | Research Quality Assessment
The VQR – Research Quality Assessment – is a process conducted every five years by ANVUR to evaluate the results of scientific research and third-mission activities at universities, departments, and other research institutions. The VQR process therefore provides an updated assessment of the state of research across various scientific fields, with the aim of promoting improvements in research quality within the evaluated institutions. The VQR results are also used to allocate the incentive portion of the Ordinary Financing Fund (FFO).
In the fourth VQR exercise covering the years 2020-2024, the evaluation of Research products was based on the criteria of originality, methodology, and impact on the scientific community. All the Evaluation Expert Groups, GEVs, used the peer review method, possibly supported by international citation indicators. The evaluation of the Third Mission case studies was based on the criteria of the social, economic, and cultural dimension of the impact, relevance with respect to the reference context, added value for the beneficiaries, and the scientific, organizational, and/or managerial contribution of the proposing institution. The fourth exercise also introduced the evaluation of international Competitive Projects, taking into account the financial dimension of the projects and the scientific Area to which the Principal Investigator or the head of the local unit belongs.
Luiss achieved results above the national average in the 2020-2024 VQR, ranking 2nd among state and non-state universities for the quality of the research products of all the staff evaluated (indicator R1e2). The submission of 100% of the expected research products, the result of the work carried out by the Departments in the preparatory phase, also ensured that all Luiss faculty participated in the evaluation with at least one valid product.
- At the level of Scientific Areas, Luiss ranks 1st in Italy in Area 13b “Economic and Business Sciences” and 2nd in Area 13a “Economic and Statistical Sciences”, achieving results above the national average also in Areas 12 “Legal Sciences” and 14 “Political and Social Sciences”, for which it ranks 5th and 2nd respectively in the ranking of non-state universities.
- At the departmental level, all the Departments evaluated also rank above the national average in their respective Scientific Areas. In particular, the Department of Business and Management ranks 6th in Area 13b (with almost 60% of the products rated as “Exceptional”) and the Department of Economics and Finance ranks 5th in Area 13a.
Regarding the quality of the products of PhD holders (indicator R3), which assesses the University’s ability to train young researchers, Luiss ranks 2nd in the ranking of non-state universities for both Areas assessed, 12 and 13b.
For the quality of the Third Mission (indicator R4), Luiss was ranked 2nd in Italy among all state and non-state universities, demonstrating the University’s strong impact on the social and economic fabric in which it operates. The result reflects Luiss’s ability to translate research and institutional commitment into structural and high-impact initiatives, as demonstrated by the two case studies submitted for evaluation.
- The case study “Rebuilding trust by improving the quality of information and combating disinformation through research, communication, and digital literacy”– rated as “Exceptional (A)” – describes the activities developed by Luiss through the Data Lab to combat disinformation and promote media literacy in a context characterized by the spread of fake news, information manipulation, and the distorted use of artificial intelligence. The initiatives carried out during the period of the VQR have contributed to strengthening the quality of information and the University’s digital awareness.
- The case study “Luiss’s contribution to the 2030 Agenda: evolution of sustainability governance and initiatives to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals” – rated “Excellent (B)” – illustrates the path through which the University has integrated the principles of the UN 2030 Agenda into governance, teaching, research, and third mission activities. Since 2019, Luiss has developed an integrated sustainability model through the establishment of dedicated academic roles and structures, including the Sustainability Office and the Social Innovation and Diversity & Inclusion Office, making sustainability a structural element of the University’s activities.
Finally, for international competitive projects (R5 indicator), introduced for the first time in the context of the VQR 2020-2024, Luiss ranks among the top ten universities in Italy and 4th among non-state universities for its ability to attract international funding for competitive research. The result confirms the University’s growing competitiveness in international research programs and the ability of its researchers to obtain funding through highly selective calls for proposals.
Latest News on Research and Third Mission in Luiss
Periodic Accreditation
Periodic Accreditation is one of the procedures outlined in the AVA system. It involves an external review of the effectiveness of the Quality Assurance (QA) system that universities implement internally. This review results in an Accreditation decision, which recognizes that a university continues to meet the Quality Requirements that enable it to carry out its institutional functions. Accreditation is granted by the MUR upon the proposal of the ANVUR, which conducts this verification through a Commission of Evaluation Experts (CEV) via remote document review and on-site visits. The Requirements subject to verification incorporate the guidelines set out in the ESG 2015 and constitute the fundamental principles around which universities' QA systems must be built.
Specifically, in AVA2, Requirement 4 (R4) assesses the effectiveness of the university’s QA system for research and TM, as defined in its general programmatic guidelines (indicator R4.A) and pursued by the departments (indicator R4.B).
In March 2021, the first periodic accreditation visit took place at Luiss. The CEV rated both R4 indicators as “Very positive,” the highest possible rating. This assessment contributed to Luiss’s final Accreditation in Tier A, the highest of the four tiers, which was awarded to only six other Italian universities out of the 90 evaluated in AVA2. The University is currently preparing for the next Periodic Accreditation visit, scheduled for 2027, based on the new AVA3 model.
SUA-R/TM | Annual Single Form for Research and the Third Mission
The SUA-R/TM – Annual Single Form for Research and the Third Mission – is the annual assessment and monitoring tool for research and Third Mission activities conducted at Luiss, both at the university level and within individual departments. It also allows the University and its Departments to reflect on the level of awareness regarding their planning activities in research and the Third Mission, and provides the necessary information to ground this reflection in real indicators and data. The Report is therefore an integral part of the AVA system, and prepares the University and its Departments for the Periodic Accreditation visits.
The contents of the Report are also useful for informing stakeholders (students, families, companies, public bodies, etc.) about the expertise available in the various Departments and the focus of their research, thereby helping to strengthen and make collaboration between the University, research, and civil society easier and more targeted.
At Luiss, the SUA-R/TM is completed annually using a template prepared by the Quality and Innovation Board, which incorporates the ANVUR Guidelines. It includes the following documents:
- the SUA-RA – Annual Consolidated Report on University Research and the SUA-TM/IS – Annual Consolidated Report on Third Mission and Social Impact, covering activities conducted at the University level, prepared by the Vice-Rector for Research and Third Mission, the Director of Governance, Research Funding & Third Mission, and the Head of Research and Third Mission.
- for each Department, the SUA-RD – Annual Departmental Research Report and the SUA-TM/IS covering activities promoted at the departmental level, prepared by the respective Research and Third Mission Review Groups.
These documents, previously completed separately, have been merged into a single form since the 2021 fiscal year. In the interest of transparency, Luiss has been publishing the SUA-RD online since the 2017 fiscal year. The SUA-TM/IS began being compiled in the 2018 fiscal year to supplement the SUA-RD and allow for more specific monitoring of certain Third Mission activities.
Since 2021, an additional interim monitoring process for departmental activities has been introduced, conducted during the current year. This aims to identify any critical issues requiring urgent corrective measures. Starting in the 2024 fiscal year, these interim monitoring documents are also submitted to the Quality Committee and the Evaluation Unit, and are published online.
Evaluation of research support services
The Research and Third Mission Office operates at the university level, providing cross-cutting support for the activities of researchers across all departments. From 2020 to 2024, the Office monitored the effectiveness of its services by administering satisfaction questionnaires to researchers regarding the services provided (specifically: application support, project management, and research communication). Since 2025, the data has been integrated into a broader survey conducted by the Office of Studies and Evaluation.
The University Library serves as the central hub for collecting and disseminating the University’s research and scientific output. It monitors and enhances the quality of its services through service surveys, which have been conducted since 2003. In fact, the Library conducts monthly monitoring and publishes annual statistical reports, which are available on the dedicated page.
RESEARCH AND THIRD MISSION OFFICE
Manager
Anna Elisa D'Agostino
T: +39 06 8522 5989
Viale Romania, 32
00197 Rome
ricerca@luiss.it
terzamissione@luiss.it
SUA Research and Third Mission
Valentina Ercoli
T: +39 06 8522 5558
sua.rd.tm@luiss.it
VIR
VQR