CoARA
Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA)
In 2024, the University of Silesia signed the Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment and is a Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA) member.
What is CoARA?
The Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA) brings together institutions committed to reforming the methods and processes used in research assessment. The core idea behind the Coalition’s efforts is to rethink assessment practices that rely heavily on publication-based metrics (such as citation counts, the h-index) and to recognise a broader range of academic activities currently undervalued in existing evaluation models.
More than 700 research organisations have signed the Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment, including institutions and universities from European and non-European countries, research funders and evaluators, scientific societies, and other research-related associations. Together, they have developed principles and actions for reform, outlined in the Agreement.
Structure of the Coalition
Organisations can join CoARA either as signatories of the agreement or as full members. Both forms require a commitment to supporting research assessment reform and submitting an action plan within one year.
The University of Silesia in Katowice, as a member of the Coalition, has voting rights and participates in the General Assembly and other decision-making processes. Membership grants access to a network of collaborators, working groups, and reform initiatives. Members benefit from knowledge exchange, early-stage support for implementing reforms, and opportunities to pilot innovative assessment methods.
The Coalition is governed by the General Assembly and the Steering Board, while day-to-day activities are coordinated by the CoARA Secretariat, hosted by the European Science Foundation (ESF).
Goals and Mission of the Coalition
CoARA aims to recognise the diversity of research outputs, practices, and activities by emphasising qualitative evaluation of researchers and their work, based on peer review and appropriately supported by quantitative indicators. This shift seeks to incorporate a wide range of contributions into research assessment, alongside high-impact publications, and to enhance the research potential of scholars.
CoARA’s mission is embodied in ten commitments outlined in the Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment. These commitments form the basis for the Action Plans, tailored to their specific institutional needs and challenges, developed by signatories and members.
CoARA Commitments
- Recognise the diversity of contributions to, and careers in, research in accordance with the needs and nature of the research.
- Base research assessment primarily on qualitative evaluation for which peer review is central, supported by the responsible use of quantitative indicators.
- Abandon inappropriate uses in research assessment of journal- and publication-based metrics, in particular, inappropriate uses of Journal Impact Factor (JIF) and h-index.
- Avoid the use of rankings of research organisations in research assessment.
- Commit resources to reforming research assessment as is needed to achieve the organisational changes committed to.
- Review and develop research assessment criteria, tools and processes.
- Raise awareness of research assessment reform and provide transparent communication, guidance, and training on assessment criteria and processes, as well as their use.
- Exchange practices and experiences to enable mutual learning within and beyond the Coalition.
- Communicate progress made on adherence to the Principles and implementation of the Commitments.
- Evaluate practices, criteria and tools based on solid evidence and the state-of-the-art in research on research, and make data openly available for evidence gathering and research.
CoARA Action Plan at the University of Silesia
University of Silesia CoARA Action Plan for 2024–2027 focuses on implementing CoARA principles through a reform of the research assessment system. Key activities include the development of CRIS system functionalities to account for a wide range of research outputs and academic activities (e.g., open-access publications, preprints, internships, awards). The university plans to improve HR procedures in recruitment, periodic evaluation, and promotion by introducing qualitative and narrative-based criteria supported by peer review. Further training, promotion of open science (in line with FAIR principles), and the development of mechanisms ensuring transparency and inclusiveness in the assessment process are also planned. Structured strategic policies linked to recruitment, promotion, and funding will be implemented, and continuous consultations with the academic community will help adapt the assessment system to the specificity of different disciplines and evolving scientific standards.