Several research themes are related to the socio-economic fabric on which DST insists, and in this regard, many researchers are involved in lines of research related to the theme of environmental sustainability and agro-food/agro-industrial development of the territory. The collaboration activities are carried out under the agreement and participation in the various partnerships that see the DST cooperate with Sanniti and regional Agri-food operational centres and public bodies such as municipalities and provinces operating on the territory, thus contributing to the process of economic and social development of the local community. In particular, the production fabric and related applied research activities aim to improve production processes with a view to the environmental protection of biodiversity and food safety. The partnerships established with professional organizations (CIA, Coldiretti, Confagricoltura, etc.) and industry (Confindustria), as well as with local action groups (LAGs), park authorities, mountain communities, local hospitals, Local Health Companies and Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute for the South. Numerous research lines are focused on the theme of geological/environmental risk of the territory (floods, landslides, hydro-geological disturbances, pollution and contamination of water resources) as well as on the exploitation of cultural assets and sites of geopaleontological interest.
The scientific activities are conducted by 52 lecturers (PO, PA, RU, RTD) from SSD in the following CUN areas:
1 - Mathematical and Computer Sciences: MAT/05; INF/01;
2 - Physical sciences: FIS/01;
3 - Chemical Sciences: CHIM/02; CHIM/03;
4 - Geosciences: GEO/01; GEO/02; GEO/03; GEO/04; GEO/05; GEO/07; GEO/08; GEO/09; GEO/10;
5 - Life Sciences: BIO/02; BIO/04; BIO/05; BIO/06; BIO/07; BIO/09; BIO/10, BIO/11, BIO/13; BIO/14; BIO/18; BIO/19;
6 - Medical Sciences: MED/04;
7 - Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences: VET/01;
9 - Industrial and information engineering: ING/INF 05;
12 - Legal sciences: IUS/01;
13 - Economics and Statistics: SECS-S/01.
ALLOCATION OF UNIVERSITY RESOURCES FOR DEPARTMENTAL RESEARCH
The DST, in compliance with the "University Regulation for the allocation and management of the Research Fund of Universities (FRA)" (DR n. 360 of 22/3/2006), Has established procedures and arrangements for the examination and evaluation of research projects submitted by professors and research workers, also taking into account the criteria for evaluating research established by national bodies.
Since 2018, there is an address for allocating funds at the University level for research activities. The Board of Directors, on a proposal from the Academic Senate, may allocate a sum up to a maximum of 10% of the total amount of the Funds, projects aimed at strengthening the University’s research capacity in strategic application and cultural areas and the development of actions aimed at strengthening weak areas.
For the remaining part, the allocation is partly on a historical basis, in particular taking into account the number of employees in each department, and partly on a premium basis, referring to the results of the VQR evaluation covering the period 2011-20132014, and in particular the IRDF indicator, the final quality indicator of departmental research. For 2018, the share of research projects that are targeted is 5% of the total, and the share distributed on a prize basis is 20%. At its meeting on 29 January 2018, the Academic Senate also recommended that the Department Directors adopt distribution criteria aligned with those adopted at headquarters.
The guidelines for allocating University research funds are in the annex at the bottom of the page.
EVALUATION OF THE SCIENTIFIC OUTPUT OF DST
As regards the evaluation of scientific production, reference is made to the "University Regulation on the allocation, self-certification and verification of teaching and service tasks for students by professors and researchers, as well as in the matter of assessment for the allocation of salary increments under Article 6 of the Law 30 December 2010, n. 240 and subsequent amendments and additions", art. 9/4 reads: "For the verification of the scientific production of the period of maturity of the salary step, reference is made exclusively to the resolution of the Council of Department of Affiliation that must be transmitted to the Rector. For this purpose, the Department Council considers scientific publications with ISBN/ISMN/ISSN or indexed on WoS or Scopus".
Since 2018, the University has acquired CINECA’s IRIS (Institutional Research Information System), which facilitates storing and managing data related to research activities and products. IRIS provides researchers, administrators and evaluators with tools to monitor research results and increase their visibility.
During the first half of 2018, the migration of data from old platforms, mainly the MIUR teaching site, to the new system was completed. This has led to creating an integrated repository of research outputs with a public view for dissemination of publications and a private one, which allows individual researchers and university offices to manage publications and their metadata.
In addition, the University of Sannio has joined (resolution SA 17/9/18 and CdA 18/9/18) to the framework agreement between CRUI and the University of Basilicata for the use of the "Support System for the evaluation of scientific production of the CRUI/UniBas. The system, which became fully operational at Università del Sannio in the last quarter of 2018, allows DST to carry out periodic self-assessment procedures for research products according to the same principles used by ANVUR for the VQR, Defining an accurate database with quantitative and qualitative indicators for both individual researchers and at the level of subject area and department.
EVALUATION AND PUBLICITY OF THE SCIENTIFIC OUTPUT OF DST
The results are publicised through the IRIS platform, which allows public access to information on research products (Contribution in a journal, Contribution in conference proceedings, Contribution in volume, book, other and curatorship) with the possibility of disaggregating data up to the level of the individual researcher at the University.
The University has also signed the framework agreement promoted by CRUI for free access to the web services offered by the databases "Scopus" and "Web of Science", which allow individual researchers and offices to access, through the same IRIS interface, bibliometric data for all research products indexed by these databases.
EXPLOITATION OF RESEARCH
The Department carries out several scientific dissemination and public engagement initiatives to increase the impact of research in society, stimulating researchers' participation and the public's involvement.
In particular, Dr. Flavia De Nicola for the biological area and Bruno Massa for the geological area are the referents of the Department for:
- Organise seminars on specific research carried out within the Department at regular intervals;
- Organise open-to-the-public seminars/workshops for the dissemination of scientific research;
- Organising the Department’s Science Days or similar activities;
- Provide data for the compilation of RTD related to scientific and cultural promotion.