European study shows progress towards fairer research assessment

A new independent study published by the European Commission has found that research organisations across Europe are making steady progress in changing how research and researchers are assessed

The report provides the first evidence-informed overview of how institutions that signed the Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment (ARRA) are implementing their commitments.

The study focuses on organisations that are part of the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA), a Europe-wide initiative aimed at improving research evaluation by moving beyond traditional measures such as publication numbers and citation counts.

Research performance has often been judged primarily on the number of papers published and the impact of academic journals. However, the new study highlights a growing shift towards recognising a much broader range of contributions made by researchers.

Many organisations are now introducing assessment approaches that value skills, collaboration, open science practices, teaching, leadership, innovation and other forms of research impact. This broader perspective is intended to better reflect the diverse ways researchers contribute to science and society throughout their careers.

The findings suggest that many institutions have moved beyond simply committing to reform and are now actively implementing changes to their assessment systems.

Progress varies across Europe

While the overall direction of travel is positive, the study also shows that progress is not uniform across Europe. Different countries and organisations are moving at different speeds, reflecting their individual starting points, national policies and institutional priorities.

Rather than measuring success or failure, the report focuses on an important stage in the reform process. It provides an image of how organisations are translating shared principles into practical action while identifying areas where additional support and coordination may still be needed.

This evidence will help policymakers understand which approaches are working well and where further efforts could strengthen implementation across the European research landscape.

Supporting the future of the European research area

The study reaches an important point in the European Research Area (ERA) Policy Agenda 2025–2027, offering insights into progress made halfway through the current policy cycle.

Its findings are expected to help shape both the next ERA Policy Agenda for 2027–2029 and the future Horizon Europe research programme.

The European Commission has played an active role in supporting research assessment reform by participating in CoARA and providing financial support for institutional changes. The Commission sees modernising research assessment as an essential step towards creating a more connected, collaborative and competitive European research system.

Reforming research assessment is viewed as a key part of strengthening the European Research Area. Differences in evaluation methods between countries can create barriers to researcher mobility, collaboration and knowledge sharing.

The ERA Structural Policy on Research Assessment Reform promotes a more balanced approach by combining qualitative evaluation with the responsible use of quantitative indicators. It also encourages greater recognition of diverse research outputs, supports open science principles and aims to improve transparency, research integrity and inclusiveness.