Normally, the allocation of research grants involves an extensive review process. A committee consisting of several members reads all submitted proposals, ranks them based on a set of criteria, assigns scores, and ultimately awards grants to the proposals with the highest average scores.
Dean Boudewijn Haverkort wants to do things differently from now on. ‘In my view, this way of allocating funds creates a kind of pseudo-objectivity,’ he says. ‘Reviewers, as we call committee members, are not always neutral or objective. They may have an affinity with certain research themes, or know researchers from earlier successful proposals. In addition, reviewers sometimes dismiss topics too quickly as ‘odd ideas’, while it is precisely important to think outside the usual frameworks.’ Haverkort also refers to a scientific study he contributed to on the benefits of using lotteries.
Lottery with ping-pong balls
According to the dean, who initiated the lottery, young researchers with unexpected or unconventional ideas stand less chance under the traditional system. ‘You see that they rarely make it through, because they are competing with established names. To make things fairer for everyone, we are therefore opting for a public lottery,’ says Haverkort. ‘We already have the ping-pong balls.’
The balls will be placed together in a glass bowl. Each of the 26 submitted proposals is assigned a number. ‘We invite an independent person to conduct the draw. This UT staff member draws ten balls with a number written on them, a proposal number. If your research number is drawn, that project receives a voucher worth 45 thousand euros,’ Haverkort explains. According to him, this approach ensures transparency, equal opportunities, and greater trust. ‘We have recently appointed our young researchers at the UT because we believe they can deliver good work. With this method, we underline that trust. Another advantage is that it saves costs, as there is no committee spending a lot of time on assessments.’
Initiatives do need to meet a number of basic requirements, according to Haverkort. For instance, the research must align with one of the UT’s four impact domains: climate, health, safety, or chip technology. In addition, researchers must be early-career, no more than seven years after completing their PhD, and come from two different research groups. The two vice-deans check whether proposals meet these conditions, without assessing their content.
Fairness over excellence
Does drawing lots come at the expense of excellence? Strong proposals, or those with a higher chance of success, could after all miss out. ‘That can indeed happen, but we accept that. This way of allocating funds offers everyone fair and equal opportunities.’
Within his faculty, Haverkort hears little resistance to the new method, although he is aware of the criticism. ‘Elsewhere in the country, researchers sometimes say: we can select research better than by throwing dice. It shows that this group is less open to the arguments behind using a lottery.’
Tilburg as an example
Haverkort describes himself as an ‘ambassador of lotteries’ and already introduced the system years ago as dean at Tilburg University. When he took up his post at the UT last year, he quickly put the initiative on the table with the faculty board. ‘The board liked it. In Tilburg, we saw that people felt less rejected after a lottery than after a committee decision.’
According to Haverkort, lotteries lead to less competition and more goodwill among colleagues. ‘When the outcome was positive, researchers were genuinely happy for one another. I hope the same will happen at the UT.’
At the same time, he adds a caveat, as lotteries are not suitable for all types of funding. ‘For this round, it concerns relatively small amounts, intended as a stepping stone.’ For now, the lottery procedure will run as a pilot. After an evaluation, a decision will be made on whether it will be continued. ‘On Wednesday afternoon, I mainly want to gauge the atmosphere and hear what young researchers think. If this system is well received, that is a step forward. Perhaps this model could also work for other faculties in the future,’ Haverkort says.
The lottery for the research vouchers is open to the public and will take place on Wednesday 4 February at 4:00 pm at the Educafé.
