The processes and practices that structure research assessments are key to ensuring the quality of research. There is a need to diversify the activities, outputs, and outcomes that are recognised as part of research assessment processes. Equally, a broader set of skills and competencies must be acknowledged and valued as part of the assessments of researchers.
Science Europe works to ensure that research quality remains the core principle that underpins evaluation processes at all levels.
Research assessment lies at the core of all Science Europe Member Organisations’ activities and is fundamental to the research endeavour. It is used to select projects and researchers for funding, for determining career progression, and to evaluate research units and institutes. It forms the basis for our recognition, rewards, and incentives systems, and therefore influences the behaviours and activities of all members of the research community.
Science Europe’s Member Organisations periodically review how the assessments of research and researchers are designed and implemented. They aim to ensure that their assessment processes are fair, efficient, transparent, and effective.
It is Science Europe’s priority to promote research quality as the most important factor in research assessment.
Research assessment must reward all research contributions and activities, and promote good research practices, reproducibility, and integrity. To that end, it needs to capture the diversity of research outputs and outcomes in a manner that is appropriate to each research field.
Ensuring that research assessment processes are transparent, effective, and fair is of fundamental significance.
Science Europe has worked with its Member Organisations and external stakeholders to carry out a comprehensive study of research assessment practices used by research funding and performing organisations. This has provided an opportunity for members to collectively identify best practices and engage in mutual learning.
In consultation with experts, stakeholders, and the research community, Science Europe developed a set of policy recommendations that represents a best-practice model for research assessment processes.
Science Europe is currently part of a multi-stakeholder initiative that was initiated by the European Commission to reform research assessment. Together with the European University Association and Dr Karen Stroobants, it collected input from more than 350 organisations from over 40 countries to draft an Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment. The next step is to launch a coalition, composed of organisations willing to take forward the implementation of the changes recommended, in the second half of 2022.
Science Europe’s activities on Research Assessment between 2019 and 2021 identified the need to develop a holistic perspective of the policies and practices implemented by research organisations that can influence the values, norms, behaviour, and activities of researchers. This led to the establishment of Science Europe’s new strategic priority on Research Culture. As part of this new Research Culture thinking, Science Europe has extensively discussed the role of core values, and has published a shared Values Framework as a reference for policy and practice changes across all research policy topics.
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Science Europe, the European University Association, and Dr Karen Stroobants, supported by the European Commission, present an agreement on the reform of research assessment, the result of over six months of co-creation with more than 350 organisations from over 40 countries.
This Agreement sets 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.
This morning (8 July), Science Europe & the European University Association, with the European Commission, hosted the 3rd stakeholder assembly of the reform of research assessment initiative.
For Science Europe, 2021 was a very important year: the association celebrated its 10th year of existence. Founded in 2011, it has grown into a respected and influential voice in the European research policy debate. Moreover, we published a new Strategy Plan for 2021–2026, which maps our collective objectives and sets a specific yet flexible action framework over the next five years.
Science Europe will contribute to the EuroScience Open Forum (ESOF) 2022 with sessions on several key topics: the green and digital transition, research careers, open science, and the reform of research assessment systems.
The Council Conclusions are an important step in recognising the relevance of Open Science and reforming research assessment, which are two essential elements of the cultural shift that are necessary to put research quality and openness are the cornerstones of positive research cultures.
Science Europe welcomes the Council Conclusions on research assessment and open science as they recognise the need for a renewed approach to research policies and practices to evolve towards a more positive research culture.
Science Europe welcomes the DFG position paper "Academic Publishing as a Foundation and Area of Leverage for Research Assessment" on two important and timely topics.
The new statement on Research Culture envisages an ERA that focusses on the quality of research and its processes, supports scientific freedom, and promotes social diversity and inclusion, acknowledging that these conditions will, in turn, foster a productive research system.
On 25 November 2021, Science Europe releases a vision for Research Culture in the European Research Area (ERA) and commits to collective actions that enable a thriving research system.