Science ministry scraps rating system for national R&D projects

The science ministry announced a revision to the presidential decree governing national research and development that abolishes the current grading system for project evaluations. The change marks a shift away from assessing projects solely on whether they met initial targets to evaluating the appropriateness of the research process itself.

Under the amended National R&D Innovation Act Enforcement Decree, central administrative agencies will no longer assign ratings to interim or final results. The new framework supports follow-up projects even when original plans are not fully realized due to changing circumstances.

The Ministry of Science and ICT drove the revision to promote the utilization and diffusion of R&D outcomes. The decree eliminates the grade-based assessment for both interim and final evaluations, replacing it with a review of whether the research process was appropriate compared to standard practices.

The ministry also introduced a mechanism for researchers to deposit academic papers for free public access and distribution starting September 11, 2026. Research institutions and individual scientists can submit their findings through designated management agencies, which will set specific methods and procedures for submission. Central agencies must post these procedures on their websites to ensure accessibility.

Significant adjustments were made to how non-profit organizations utilize technology fees collected from licensing government-funded inventions. Previously, these entities were required to allocate at least 60 percent of such revenue to researcher compensation and a minimum of 10 percent to staff who contributed to commercialization. The revised rules mandate that at least 70 percent of the funds be used directly for rewarding researchers and contributing employees, consolidating the usage categories.

The changes regarding evaluation criteria and fee distribution will take effect on January 1, 2027, applying to projects undergoing assessment after that date. Contracts signed before this date will continue under previous regulations. The provisions related to paper deposition will begin on September 11, 2026.