International policy landscape and initiatives

The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA)

DORA recognizes the need to improve the ways in which the outputs of scholarly research are evaluated. The declaration was developed in 2012 during the Annual Meeting of the American Society for Cell Biology in San Francisco. It has become a worldwide initiative covering all scholarly disciplines and all key stakeholders including funders, publishers, professional societies, institutions, and researchers.

Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA)

Responsible Research Assessment: Global Research Council Conference Report 2021

This report presents the context for the Global Research Council Virtual Conference on Responsible Research Assessment in November 2020 and the main discussion outcomes in five themes:

• Research assessment shapes research culture
• Diverse R&I sectors create high-quality research and impact
• Fostering a healthy R&I system that does not undermine diversity
• Research and scholarship are transnational endeavours
• All stakeholders in the R&I ecosystem play a vital role in its construction

Responsible Research Assessment. Global Research Council (GRC) Conference Report 2021 (PDF)

Open Science and its role in universities: A roadmap for cultural change

This advice paper developed by the League of European Research Universities (LERU) discusses the eight pillars of Open Science identified by the European Commission:

• The future of scholarly publishing
• FAIR data
• The European Open Science Cloud
• Education and skills
• Rewards and incentives
• Next-generation metrics
• Research integrity
• Citizen science

It also analyses what the introduction of Open Science approaches means at university level in each of these eight themed areas and identifies possible benefits and challenges. For each of the eight Open Science areas, recommendations about what universities can do are formulated.

Open Science and its role in universities: A roadmap for cultural change  (PDF)

Towards a research integrity culture at universities: from recommendations to implementation

This advice paper developed by LERU identifies ways in which universities can develop a research integrity culture within their institutions. At a time when public trust in information is increasingly challenged by misinformation, the need for sound and trustworthy research has never been so important. Universities have a key role in supporting research integrity as this maintains and strengthens confidence in their researchers’ work. This paper shows how this could be achieved.

Towards a research integrity culture at universities: from recommendations to implementation (PDF)

Science Europe Recommendations on Research Assessment Processes

This is set of policy recommendations that can be used as a framework to guide the evaluation of research assessment processes. They were developed following an extensive study performed in 2019 and a comprehensive consultation process, and are intended for both Science Europe Member Organisations and other research organisations.

Recommendations on Research Assessment Processes

Evaluation of Research Careers fully Acknowledging Open Science Practices

This report, released by the European Commission in 2017, recognizes the emerging Open Science movement creates an opportunity to develop an evaluation system for hiring and promotion that is focused on the equal treatment of applicants.

Evaluation of Research Careers fully Acknowledging Open Science Practices

The Leiden Manifesto for Research Metrics

This manifesto provides ten principles for the appropriate use of metrics in research evaluation. These principles can be used to maintain accountability of both evaluators and the indicators they use in metrics-based research assessment.

Leiden Manifesto for Research Metrics

Recommendation for the Responsible Evaluation of a Researcher in Finland

This report provides a set of general principles (transparency, integrity, fairness, competence, and diversity) that apply throughout 13 recommended good practices to improve four aspects of researcher evaluation, including:

• Building the evaluation process
• Evaluation of research
• Diversity of activities
• Researcher’s role in the evaluation process.

Recommendation for the Responsible Evaluation of a Researcher in Finland (PDF)

European Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment

The 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.

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.

European Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment

Luxembourg Charter on Mentorship in Academia

The Luxembourg Charter on Mentorship in Academia provides guidelines for the foundation of good mentorship that should serve as best practice in the Luxembourgish research ecosystem. The charter outlines the values and competences  of good mentorship - understood as one of the fundamental aspects in building and nurturing a positive and inclusive research culture.

Luxembourg Charter on Mentorship in Academia