Agreement on reforming research assessment (ARRA) and Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA)

In March 2024, the Vice-Chancellor decided to sign The Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment (ARRA) and to join The Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA). The purpose of the agreement is to gradually transform the assessment of research and researchers, with the overarching goal of increasing the quality and impact of research. Uppsala University’s action plan pdf, 140 kB. was decided by the Vice-Chancellor in March 2026.

The agreement contains principles and commitments that the signatory organisations—higher education institutions and others—undertake to promote jointly, including through CoARA. Broadly speaking, it concerns recognising a wider range of research, research practices, and activities in assessment. The importance of qualitative assessment and evaluation of research is emphasised, as is the principle that such assessment should primarily be conducted through peer review, supported by the responsible use of quantitative indicators.

Uppsala University participates in all working groups established within the national chapter. At present, there are five working groups:

• Research applications at national level (chair Coco Norén, Uppsala University)
• Assessment of Individual Academics (chair Adina L. Feldman, Karolinska Institutet)
• Responsible bibliometrics (chair Katrine Riklund, Umeå University)
• Incentives for Open Science (chair Gustav Nilsonne, Swedish Reproducability Network/Karolinska Institutet)
• Merit Evaluation in Collaboration and Societal Impact (chair Margareta Friman, Karlstad University)

There are also several working groups within CoARA. Uppsala University is currently not active in any of these.

The agreement’s four fundamental commitments are:

1. recognise the diversity of contributions to, and careers in, research in accordance with the needs and nature of the research
2. Base research assessment primarily on qualitative evaluation for which peer review is central, supported by responsible use of qualitative indicators
3. Abandon inappropriate uses in research assessment of journal- and publication-based metrics, in particular inappropriate uses of Journal Impact Factor (JIF) and h-index
4. Avoid the use of rankings of research organisations in research assessment