In support of the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA), the European Chemical Society (EuChemS) signed the online agreement for reforming research assessment in October 2022.
CoARA aims to improve the quality and impact of research by reforming the framework for research assessment on the foundation of qualitative metrics, peer review, transparency, and responsibility when relying on quantitative metrics. Signatories commit to core commitments according to which they will handle research assessment. The full text of the agreement can be read here.
By signing CoARA, EuChemS joins a growing number of organisations and agencies from the fields of research, education and academia.
As an early signatory of the CoARA Agreement (Signed before 17 November), EuChemS was invited to the coalition’s first, Constitutive Assembly. Secretary General Nineta Hrastelj joined the Assembly as a voting representative, during the course of which the operational foundations for the coalition were laid down.
- Participating organisations accepted the key governing documents
- Rianne Letschert, the President of Maastricht University was elected as CoARA Chair
- CoARA Steering Board members were elected.
On the evening of the day, those present in Brussels could participate in a Roundtable on the outcomes of the Assembly meeting and on the foreseen course of actions.
In 2024, CoARA approved a number of working groups, includig “TIER -Towards an Inclusive Evaluation of Research”, chaired by Biancu Bonaria from the University of Milan. TIER consists of universities, learned societies, representatives from natural and social sciences as well as policy actors – EuChemS being amongst the members. It’s stated mission is to address the primary sources of unconscious bias, identify and propose concrete actions for mitigation, and produce guidelines for the future to ensure “equal opportunities, inclusiveness and the valorisation of diversity”.
Read more about TIER here