The Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA) European initiative was launched in January 2022. Its primary goal is to reform the current research assessment system, which is heavily reliant on the quantity of publications, in light of rapid technological changes. The signatory organizations aim to achieve this by establishing a more conscious and objective evaluation framework that respects the unique characteristics of different scientific disciplines, collaborating closely over a five-year period.
By January 2024, hundreds of institutions (over 700) had already signed the initiative; the full list is available at this link >>.
Furthermore, several Hungarian institutions have joined the initiative; the full list can be accessed here >>.
Signatory institutions are required to draft an openly accessible Action Plan within the first year of joining, sharing their progress with the community. These plans span a five-year duration; consequently, progress—and the Action Plan itself—must be reviewed annually.
The plans are available here >>.
The University of Debrecen’s first Action Plan can be accessed here.
To facilitate the reform of the research assessment framework, CoARA centers its core principles around ten key commitments and develops guidance documents with the support of dedicated working groups.
CoARA Hungarian National Chapter
The objective of the CoARA Hungarian National Chapter is to align the assessment frameworks of participating domestic organizations with the CoARA core principles. To this end, it provides a collaborative platform for sharing national experiences and best practices, planning joint initiatives, and ensuring representation.
More information about the Hungarian working group is available at this link.
CoARA Boost
CoARA Boost is a Horizon Europe-funded project aimed at steering research assessment away from current, reductionist, journal-based quantitative metrics and evaluations that contrast quality with quantity. The project has a duration of three years, with a total grant funding of €5 million.
Main objectives:
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Strengthening CoARA’s operational capacity;
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Catalyzing knowledge development, policy evolution, and institutional changes in research assessment;
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Facilitating information gathering and exchange;
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Expanding the coalition's membership.
The project is led by the European Science Foundation (ESF).