Research assessment plays a cardinal role in shaping academic careers, funding decisions, and institutional priorities. Yet, many current evaluation systems lack transparency, inclusivity, and community governance. They are relying on commercial proprietary, black-box systems that do not reflect the diversity and breadth of research contributions, as well as global scholarship.

To change this, the CoARA Working Group ‘’Towards Open Infrastructures for Responsible Research Assessment’’ (OI4RRA) has developed a framework that outlines how Open Infrastructures (OIs) can support a fair, transparent, and responsible approach to research assessment.

Now, we need your input!

The Open Infrastructures for Responsible Research Assessment: Principles and Framework is open for public consultation until March 14, 2025, and your feedback will help ensure it meets the needs of the global research community.

Principles of Open Infrastructures for Responsible Research Assessment

The principles of OIs serve as foundations for research institutions, funders, policymakers, and infrastructure providers, ensuring that research assessment is transparent, fair, and inclusive. Grounded in rigorous desk research and international frameworks—including POSI Principles, the Barcelona Declaration on Open Research Information, and UNESCO’s Open Science Principles—these principles ensure research assessment is more equitable, accountable, and robust.

1. Community Governance: Stakeholder-driven, inclusive decision-making that reflects scholarly diversity.
2. Transparency: Policies, governance, and operations to build trust and accountability.
3. Openness: Free access to data, metadata, and software, ensuring interoperability and reuse.
4. Sustainability: Long-term financial stability through diverse, non-commercial funding sources.
5. Diversity: Inclusive participation from all research communities, including underrepresented groups.
6. FAIR Data: Research data must be Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable.
7. Equity: Universal access to research data and outputs, promoting fair participation.
8. Responsibility, Integrity and Accountability: Reliable, ethically governed infrastructures that ensure data authenticity.
9. Innovation: Adaptation to technological and social changes, fostering continuous improvement.

These principles ensure responsible, community-driven Open Infrastructures that serve global research needs.

Core Pillars of Open Infrastructures for Responsible Research Assessment

Technical Robustness 

Reliable, high-quality data and algorithms are essential for transparent and fair research assessment. OIs must track the full data life cycle to ensure accountability and reproducibility, enable interoperability through Persistent Identifiers (PIDs) and open APIs, and ensure data integrity with built-in validation and error detection mechanisms. 

Operational Capacity 

OIs should be efficient, adaptable, and user-friendly, supporting diverse research contributions. They must recognize all research outputs, from datasets and software to policy and community engagement. Customizable dashboards and workflows allow institutions to tailor assessment indicators, while training and support ensure accessibility for all users. 

Community-Centered Practices 

Stakeholder engagement is critical for inclusive and effective OIs. Collaborative governance ensures that researchers, institutions, and funders play an active role in decision-making. Feedback mechanisms foster continuous improvement and adaptability, while a shared sense of responsibility strengthens long-term commitment and trust. 

Ethical and Inclusive Practices 

Research assessment must be transparent, fair, and accountable. Human oversight in AI-driven evaluations prevents bias, while transparency in methodologies, metrics, and decision-making fosters trust. Ethical data management safeguards privacy and security, ensuring responsible data handling in all research assessment processes. 

Your Input Can Make a Difference Core Pillars of Open Infrastructures for Responsible Research Assessment 

We need your insights to refine it and ensure it serves stakeholders worldwide. 

• Read the full framework:  https://zenodo.org/records/14844582  
• Submit your feedback by March 14, 2025: Evaluation Form 

By participating, you are helping to reform how research is assessed, ensuring it is fairer, more inclusive, and aligned with the needs of the global research community.  

Let’s build a more transparent and equitable future for research assessment, together!