Process towards an agreement on reforming research assessment

The Commission has called for organisations to express their interest in being part of a coalition on reforming research assessment.

The coalition will bring together research funding organisations, research performing organisations, national/regional assessment authorities or agencies, associations of research funders, of research performers, of researchers, as well as, learned societies and other relevant organisations, all willing and committed to implement reforms to the current research assessment system.

This follows a year of extensive consultations with stakeholders, as described in this report.

The coalition will remain open to new members at all time.

Access the call for expression of interest

Organisations that express their interest will be involved in the drafting process of the agreement on reforming research assessment, including discussions on its governance and in other preparatory activities.

About the agreement drafting process

The drafting process will be led by a drafting team composed of the European University Association (EUA), Science Europe, Dr. Karen Stroobants (in her individual capacity as researcher with expertise in research on research), and the European Commission, which will also act as a facilitator. 

The drafting team will work in close cooperation with a core group, representing the diversity of the research community across Europe.The core group will work closely with the drafting team, discuss key issues like commitments and their timing and provide feedback to the evolving drafts.

Members of the core group and their main contact persons are:

• Marta Agostinho, Alliance of research institutes advocating for excellent research in Europe (EU-LIFE)
• Noémie Aubert Bonn, researcher, research on research
• Roland Bertelmann, Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres
• Mattias Björnmalm, CESAER
• Paola Bovolenta, European Research Council (ERC)
• Francesca Di Donato, Italian National Research Council (CNR)
• Pavel Doleček, Charles University, Prague
• Elena Domínguez Cañas, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)
• Silvia Gómez Recio, Young European Research Universities (YERUN)
• Tobias Grimm, German Research Foundation (DFG)
• Bernard Larrouturou, High Council for Evaluation of Research and Higher Education (Hcéres)
• Frank Miedema, Utrecht University and UMC Utrecht
• Gemma Modinos, Young Academy of Europe (YAE)
• Deborah Oughton, European Federation of Academies of Sciences and Humanities (ALLEA)
• Bert Overlaet, League of European Research Universities (LERU)
• Jan Palmowski, The Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities
• Sylvie Rousset, French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS)
• Toma Susi, researcher and representing the Initiative for Science in Europe (ISE)
• Ludovic Thilly, Coimbra Group & FOREU2 European Universities Alliances
• Maria Thuveson, Swedish Research Council

Next to the core group, all organisations having expressed their interest through the call will also be associated to the process. Please find here the list of organisations having expressed interest. They will be given the opportunity to suggest edits and provide comments periodically to the draft agreement, and they will participate in discussions on the future organisation and governance of the initiative.

Finally, Member States representatives in the ERA Forum and in the European Research Area Committee (ERAC) will remain updated about the work and also have the opportunity to provide inputs to the draft agreement.

Indicative timeline

• 16 December 2021: call for organisations to express their interest in being part of a coalition on reforming research assessment
• January-May 2022: drafting of the agreement and iterative review process
• 4-5 February 2022: political announcement of the initiative at the Paris Open Science European Conference (OSEC)
• March and April 2022: assembly meetings with potential coalition members to present and review the agreement and discuss governance arrangements of the coalition  
• Spring 2022: signature of the agreement