Evaluation of R&D and Innovation Policy in Ukraine: Missing Elements

Abstract

The paper discusses a comprehensive approach suggested for the evaluation of the research, development and innovation (RDI) domain in Ukraine aiming to design evidence-based policy making. It is built around four main elements, namely the evaluation of research and development (R&D), the evaluation of innovation performance, performance the assessment of research institutions, and policy evaluations. The novelty of the approach lies in considering the complexity of the evaluation of the RDI domain through the prism of its elements. This paper analyses existing evaluation approaches for each element trying to identify the ‘missing elements’ needed for evidence-based RDI policy in Ukraine.

It is suggested to approach the evaluation of R&D performance using a model that examines the long-term correlation between the dynamics of scientific personnel and the science intensity of GDP. In turn, the authors consider composite indices as a proper way to analyse innovation performance, despite the controversial issues described in the paper.

The paper also highlights the absence of the unified approach to the assessment of research institutions’ performance in Ukraine, despite the attempt to unify the assessment which recently has been undertaken. The paper argues that it’s too early to assess the relevance of the approach.

The conducted analysis leads to the conclusion that Ukraine demonstrates good potential for ensuring only two of the four elements of the complex evaluation of the RDI domain, namely evaluation of R&D performance and institutions, while evaluation of innovation performance and policy evaluations are lagging. Policy evaluations remain the weakest element of the complex evaluation system of RDI policy predominantly because of the absence of an independent evaluation culture.