The National Research Foundation of Ukraine is honored to have been actively involved in the initiative for the development and discussion of the Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment.
Late last year, the European Commission revealed it wanted to form a coalition of research organisations in favour of reforming research assessment, given the widespread recognition that employers and funders currently use “inappropriate and narrow
This follows a year of extensive consultations with stakeholders, as described in this report.
In January 2022, the European Commission called for organizations to express their interest in becoming part of the Research Assessment Reform Coalition.
The coalition will bring together research funding organizations, research performing organizations, national/regional evaluation bodies or agencies, associations of research funders, researchers, as well as scientific societies and other relevant organizations, all interested. Participants will commit to reforming the current research evaluation system.
The coalition will remain open to new members at all time.
Organisations that expressed their interest were involved in the drafting process of the Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment which lasted several months. NRFU representatives also participated in the process of discussing the Agreement with other stakeholders.
This Agreement is the result of a co-creation process started in January 2022 to set a shared direction for changes in assessment practices for research, researchers, and research performing organisations, with the goal to maximise the quality and impact of research. It includes principles, commitments, and timeframes for reforms and lays out principles for a Coalition of organisations willing to work together in implementing the changes.
It was drafted by Science Europe, the European University Association, and Dr Karen Stroobants, supported by the European Commission. It takes into account input from over 350 research organisations from more than 40 countries. The text of the Agreement can be found here.
The Agreement is based on 10 commitments – 4 core and 6 supporting.
Core commitments
- Two commitments to enable better recognition of the diverse practices and activities that maximise the quality of research
- Two commitments to enable a move away from the inappropriate uses of metrics
Supporting commitments
- Three commitments to pilot and enable the move towards new criteria, tools and processes for research assessment
- Three commitments to facilitate mutual learning, communicate progress and ensure that new approaches are evidence-informed
In conclusion, we would like to point out that involvement in the discussion of the main principles of the Agreement is an invaluable experience for the Foundation as an organization whose goal is the implementation of the best global practices in its activities, as well as integration into the world scientific area. After receiving relevant consultations, the decision on signing the Agreement is up to the members of the scientific council of the Foundation.
You can learn more about the initiative and the Agreement using the links below:
