Case Study: University of Surrey enhances research intelligence and collection management with Altmetric Explorer for Institutions

University of Surrey making efficient collections management decisions and much more using the Altmetric Explorer for Institutions

The University of Surrey sought to enhance its research intelligence and strategic decision-making by moving beyond traditional citation metrics. The institution, which had a well-established bibliometrics service, needed to balance quantitative data with qualitative insights into the online engagement and public impact of its research. Its challenge was to find a systematic and transparent way to profile its outputs within the wider digital landscape and to identify new collaborative opportunities. To achieve this, they turned to Altmetric and implemented their Explorer for Institutions product.

Altmetric provided a solution that was straightforward to implement, integrating data from the university's repository with minimal adjustments. The Explorer for Institutions tool enabled the University of Surrey to quickly analyze the online attention for its research, compare performance against global outputs, and even support library collection management. The results were significant, with the university tracking over 48,000 mentions of its research, including nearly 1,000 policy citations and over 3,700 news stories. Altmetric's data provided evidence for more informed strategic and purchasing decisions, ensuring the library budget was spent efficiently on journals with a proven online impact.

University of Surrey