European Summer School for Scientometrics

The Fourth European Summer School for Scientometrics (esss 2013) opened its doors to ISSEK researchers Konstantin Fursov and Yulia Markova in September 8—13, 2013 at the Humboldt University of Berlin. The esss 2013 started with a Tutorial day, where the participants got acquainted with the basics of using web-instruments of bibliometric analysis provided by two major players in the field — Web of Science and Scopus.

The tutorial was followed by two conference-like introductory days addressing history and methodology inconstructing relevant indicators. esss 2013 conference programme therefore covered a wide range of questions including the institutionalization of the field, its theoretical and empirical foundations, an overview of available classifications and indicators, methods of subject delineation, policy use, etc. Special attention was paid to the interpretation of data addressing research evaluation tasks and key issues of national S&T policies.

Finally, in the next three days theoretically imparted knowledge was consolidated in hands-on trainings and teamwork in small groups. This part was aimed at developing specific skills for working with bibliometric information such as data cleaning and processing, author identification, and validating information. During these 3 days esss 2013 participants also attended master-classes on specific techniques for collaboration analysis and using software for its visualization. The agenda included a Q&A section as well as professional discussions where participants could share their views and experience in scientometriс studies. On the whole, it should be noted that esss 2013 gave the participants a chance to challenge themselves academically and gain crucial experience in the growing field of quantitative S&T analysis.

European Summer School for Scientometrics was founded 2010 by the University of Vienna, the Humboldt University of Berlin, the Institute for Research Information and Quality Assurance — iFQ and the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven to respond to the lack of a pertinent scientometrics education (especially in German speaking countries) and to the increasing demand of research quality managers. Today esss offers training covering major aspects of quantitative analysis of science and technology and is especially designed for the needs of science policy makers, research quality managers, scientists and information specialists & librarians. The next esss will start in spring 2014.