A sample of suggested measurement units along with respective performance indicators are outlined below for the URC’s consideration.

a) Faculty Performance: Some of the indicators to be considered here would include; the number of Center publications, index of quality/impact by citations of Center publications, acquisitions of intellectual properties such as patents, licenses, start-ups etc, number of Center faculty who are members of the national academies or comparable bodies, number of Center faculty awards from professional societies and other Center faculty honors/recognitions.

b) Funding Performance: Pertinent indicators may include the number of externally funded research awards administered by the Center, total Center award activity (including awards to Center-affiliated faculty), research funded by University or Center funds, research expenditures, research proposals submitted, diversity of funding sources, amount of discretionary funds and support for students/fellows (graduate or undergraduate).

c) Collaborative Performance: Relevant data should cover internal performance such as departments/schools represented by faculty involved in collaborative research, external partnerships such as academic institutions, industrial partners, national laboratories, other external entities involved in collaborative Center research including industrial/external relations programs such as educational outreach programs and service to society and the number of shared research facilities and intellectual property.

d) Educational Activities: These should include the number of training programs, and other educational programs including symposia and colloquia for internal and external audiences. In general, the URCs should maintain up-to-date information on similar Centers and related major initiatives at peer institutions as benchmarks against which to measure their achievements and status.