Research Assesment (copy)

Research assessment models and practices impact research quality and cultures, determine research funding priorities, and by extension, the career trajectories of individual researchers, and significantly influence researchers’ well-being. At the societal level, how we assess, evaluate, and reward research has implications for scientific advancement, the integrity of the evidence-base that several high-level decision-making, including policymaking, is based on, as well as public trust in science. Current approaches, however, rely too heavily on bibliometrics, such as impact factor and the h-index, often overlooking the wide range of skills and contributions that support a thriving research ecosystem. While such metrics serve a purpose and were developed as ‘objective’ measures to combat previous practices of patronage, their preponderance in research evaluation fosters a harmful ‘publish or perish’ culture that undermines research quality.

ALLEA supports the shift away from this over-reliance on quantitative indicators towards more holistic, equitable, and qualitative research assessment models that not only improve the quality of research, but are key to fair and inclusive research cultures. ALLEA became an early signatory of the Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment (ARRA), published in July 2022, and is part of the associated Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA).