The project is the continuation of the AQUAMETH project (2004-2005), that has delivered an integrated dataset across six European countries: Italy, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, UK; a series of papers; and a forthcoming book (2006).

The scientific objectives of the AQUAMEHT - phase 2 project are:

a) consolidating and expanding the AQUAMETH methodology and dataset to new countries: Germany, Netherlands, Hungary and France;

b) exploring new issues using the integrated AQUAMETH dataset, in particular:

- regional differences in the efficiency and productivity of universities and the role of universities for regional development and growth;

- indicators of quality of university production, in education (placement and salary of students) and in research (citations)

- indicators of third mission activities (patenting, licensing, creation of spin-off companies, university-industry interaction, social and political interaction with the territory and the public administration etc.);

c) developing experimentally an interactive software for the evaluation of university positioning according to several indicators