Forethoughts from the editor

Conclusion  Perhaps the fundamental question involved in assessing research can best be summarized as follows: On the basis of what criteria must the long-term accountability of public funds allocated for research be measured, and who should determine these criteria? Should these criteria be based on the quality or the quantity of research produced; on the actual utilization of the research results; on the relevance of research to one or more aspects of “development”; or on the medium- or long-range “potential” impact of research results? Should these criteria be in accordance with “international” standards or reflect primarily national goals and objectives? In addition, there is the complex issue of knowledge integration, an understanding of which is a prerequisite for the generation of a “generic frame-work” designed to focus on the organization of communication between science and the social environment. Given that research and knowledge generation are becoming increasingly international in scope and impact, it is insufficient to merely contend that knowledge integration must occur through various forms of collaboration involving cross fertilization and interdisciplinary perspectives. This is already complicated at the national—let alone the international—level. Unfortunately, none of these issues have thus far been solved by the ever-expanding range of tools available for assessing research.