Psychometrics and bibliometrics: Overview of future possible interactions

Bibliometrics is a growing research field with the main aim of collecting bibliometric information (citations, publications, awards...) to infer valuable rankings or to predict future academic performance. However, most bibliometric approaches are based either on pairwise comparisons of "objects" (authors, funding applications, academics...) with respect to selected "criteria" (publications, citation rate, h-index...), or on modeling observable academic outcomes using observed such criteria. The purpose of this talk is twofold. First, an improvement of the pairwise comparison approach will be outlined on the basis of so-called multicriteria decision aid (MCDA) routines, which will imply an increased flexibility and added freedom for the decision process. Second, we will start a deeper reflexion on possible connections between bibliometrics and psychometrics. Among others, the possibility of modeling latent "academic ability" as outcome of interest, given manifest criteria, will be put to an open discussion and exchange with the listeners