Research Intelligence Infrastructures for National Research Agencies: Strategic Analysis and Policy Applications

This strategic brief examines the role of integrated research intelligence infrastructures in supporting the governance and strategic positioning of national research systems. Scientific research is becoming increasingly global, collaborative, and interdisciplinary, while governments are placing growing emphasis on evidence-based science policy, responsible research assessment, and international competitiveness. In this context, national research agencies require analytical tools capable of monitoring the evolution of their research ecosystems and situating them within the global scientific landscape. However, research intelligence data is often fragmented across multiple administrative systems, including publication databases, project management platforms, institutional reporting systems, and evaluation tools. These systems are typically designed for operational purposes rather than strategic analysis, limiting the ability of policymakers to obtain a comprehensive view of their national research systems. This document explores the concept of a multidimensional research intelligence infrastructure designed to integrate researcher-level, institutional, and national data within a unified analytical framework. The approach combines cohort-based benchmarking with multidimensional indicators of research performance, scientific collaboration, and societal engagement. The brief outlines potential applications of such infrastructures for national research agencies, including: • comparative benchmarking of national research systems• identification of emerging scientific talent and research strengths• monitoring of international collaboration and mobility• evaluation of research funding programs• implementation of responsible research assessment frameworks By providing integrated analytical perspectives across multiple levels of the research ecosystem, research intelligence infrastructures can support more transparent and evidence-based governance of national research systems. The analytical framework discussed in this document is implemented in the ONE Research Community platform, a research intelligence infrastructure designed to support multidimensional analysis of global research ecosystems. https://www.oneresearchcommunity.com