Change in Research Assessment through CoARA Boost - MCAA Magazine March 2025

The urgency for reforming research assessment is apparent. Traditional systems, which rely heavily on publication metrics such as citation counts, fail to recognise the full spectrum of scholarly contributions, including teaching, outreach, and community engagement. These methods often dissuade diversity in research practices. The MCAA recognizes these challenges and is dedicated to promoting more inclusive, transparent, and effective assessment methods. Through its robust network, the MCAA actively supports reform initiatives and is a key player in the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA), a global effort to transform research assessment practices.

What is CoARA?

CoARA is a global coalition of research organizations, funders, and professional societies dedicated to reforming research assessment. It was established to provide a comprehensive framework for evaluating the diverse contributions of researchers, ensuring that qualitative judgment plays a more prominent role alongside quantitative metrics. Over 700 organizations have committed to the vision of CoARA so far, concurring with the Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment, which outlines the guiding principles for a more inclusive and effective assessment system. CoARA’s mission is to enable systemic reform through collaborative action, knowledge exchange, and mutual learning.

The MCAA’s Involvement in CoARA Boost

Launched in October 2023, the CoARA Boost project aims to enhance the operational capacity of CoARA by providing essential resources and support to implement reforms in research organisations globally. This 36-month project seeks to develop new models for research assessment and expedite their adoption by institutions worldwide. Over half of the project’s budget is allocated to institutions through cascade funding grants, which will directly support these institutional reforms.

The MCAA is excited to contribute to this initiative, collaborating with esteemed partners such as Agenzia Nazionale di Valutazione del Sistema Universitario e della Ricerca (ANVUR), All European Academies (ALLEA), Careers Research and Advisory Centre (CRAC), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), European Science Foundation (ESF), Hungarian Research Network (HUN-REN HQ), Science Europe, and Young European Research Universities Network (YERUN). These organizations are working together to strengthen CoARA’s mission and ensure its success.

Supporting CoARA’s Working Groups

The MCAA and YERUN are leading the effort to provide operational support to the CoARA working groups (WGs). These WGs are tasked with exploring and implementing innovative models of research assessment that align with CoARA’s vision. The focus on operational support by the MCAA includes several key initiatives:

1. Supporting Working Groups

The MCAA, alongside the project partners, is actively involved in establishing a structured operational framework for all 13 of CoARA’s WGs. This includes offering guidance, resources, and organizational support to ensure the effective functioning of these groups. These efforts help the working groups focus on their mission to explore and test new models for research assessment. The MCAA is providing support to the following three WGs:

• Improving practices in the assessment of research proposals
• Multilingualism and language biases in research assessment
• Responsible metrics and indicators

2. Monitoring Progress

In collaboration with partners, the MCAA has developed a monitoring template to track the progress of the WGs, ensuring that each group is aligned with CoARA’s goals. This tool promotes transparent sharing of lessons learned and provides a way to capture the WGs’ milestones, challenges, and successes. Most of the CoARA WGs have already reached their first-year milestone, providing an opportunity to reflect on the progress and lessons learned.

3. Facilitating Knowledge Exchange

As part of its mission to foster collaboration and shared learning, the MCAA helps facilitate knowledge exchange among the WGs and the broader CoARA community. For instance, in collaboration with Finland’s learned societies ESF, YERUN, and other partners, MCAA co-organized a Co-Chairs Forum in September in Helsinki, Finland. The event gathered Co-Chairs of CoARA’s WGs, Steering Board members, and the Secretariat to reflect on challenges and achievements.

The MCAA, alongside the project partners, is actively involved in establishing a structured operational framework for all 13 of CoARA’s working groups

The Path Forward

CoARA Boost is well on its way to achieving its goal of strengthening CoARA’s operational capacity and accelerating the global reform of research assessment.

With the MCAA’s continued support and the involvement of its partners, the project is set to impact the research community significantly. By advancing new models of assessment, the MCAA is helping create a more inclusive, transparent, and effective research ecosystem—one where diverse contributions are valued, and research impacts are recognized beyond traditional metrics.

More information about CoARA can be found on coara.eu.

In Memoriam: Jean-Emmanuel Faure – A Tribute to His Legacy and Contributions

Jean-Emmanuel Faure, the team leader of Research Assessment within DG Research & Innovation, was a key figure in the establishment of the CoARA initiative. He also held the position of Project Officer for CoARA. It is with great sorrow that we acknowledge his untimely passing on February 14, 2025. Since 2021, the MCAA has had the privilege of collaborating with him. His steadfast commitment to the research agreement, culminating in the creation of CoARA, was truly commendable. Jean-Emmanuel was not only a distinguished professional but also an empathetic listener. We profoundly mourn his sudden loss and extend our heartfelt condolences to his family. We pay our respects to his memory and contributions; he will be sincerely missed.

Tereza Šímová

MCAA Policy Officer
policy.officer@mariecuriealumni.eu
@tersi_czech
simovat
0000-0002-1774-4335

Mostafa Moonir Shawrav

MCAA Executive Director
mostafa.shawrav@mariecuriealumni.eu
@mmshawrav
shawrav
0000-0001-8639-0393