Proposal and application of the Internationality index as a proxy for evaluating the internationalization process in an Argentine research group

Objective. This study aims to propose the Internationality Index (IdI) and test its applicability in a case study, revealing critical gaps in institutional data availability of a Research Center (RC), the "Dr. Eduardo J. Usunoff" Plain River Hydrology Institute (IHLLA) in Argentina, from 2010 to 2018. It introduces and applies the composite Internationality Index (IdI) to assess institutional performance across education, publication, and financing dimensions.Design/Methodology/Approach. The research employed a documentary analysis using IHLLA’s annual institutional reports (2010–2018) and publicly available data. The IdI was constructed from three subindices: International Education Index (IEI), International Publication Index (PI), and International Financing Index (IFI). Due to limitations in explicit reporting, the final analysis relied on adjusted budget figures for financing, raw publication counts, and formal foreign degree attainment among research personnel for education.Results/Discussion. Data analysis revealed moderate international engagement in terms of research personnel training, with 41% of scholars and researchers holding a foreign degree. However, inconsistent reporting, a lack of systematic documentation on short-term mobility, and the absence of journal quartile classification in institutional reports constrained a complete longitudinal IdI calculation. The findings underscore the gap between the need for robust evaluation tools and the availability of standardized institutional data.Conclusions. The IdI is a viable tool for longitudinal analysis and strategic decision-making, but its effectiveness is severely limited by inconsistent institutional reporting of international variables. RCs must adopt systematic metrics to accurately capture internationality, particularly in international short-term training, international financing and publication quality, to enable effective monitoring and strategic improvement.Originality/Value. This study pioneers the application of the IdI as a synoptic measure to assess internationality specifically within Research Centers, distinguishing it from traditional HEI-focused models. It provides empirical evidence on an Ibero-American RC, contributing to the development of robust evaluation frameworks for science policy.