Across the globe, research communities are reimagining how we recognise, evaluate, and reward scientific work. From funders to universities, there is a growing understanding that responsible research assessment (RRA) cannot succeed if it relies on closed, commercial, and opaque systems. The question is no longer if we need open infrastructures, but how we transition to them and sustain them over time.
A new report by the CoARA Working Group “Towards Open Infrastructures for Responsible Research Assessment (OI4RRA)”, co-chaired by OpenAIRE, explores this question in depth.
From barriers to blueprints
Based on interviews with 17 experts across 11 countries, the report captures both the challenges and emerging practices that define today’s research information landscape. It identifies persistent dependence on proprietary data and systems, limited policy coordination, and capacity gaps that slow progress toward openness.
But it doesn’t stop at diagnosis: it offers a roadmap for change, with strategic recommendations spanning:
- Human capital and capacity building
- Institutional roles and shared governance
- Sustainable funding and investment models
- Policy alignment and coherence
- Career incentives and reward systems
- Ethical governance and accountability
Why this matters now
The move toward open, transparent, and community-governed infrastructures is central to reshaping research assessment. As initiatives such as the Barcelona Declaration on Open Research Information call for collective action and openness by design, this report provides the practical foundations for that transformation.
It connects the dots between open research information, responsible assessment, and infrastructure sustainability, showing how openness isn’t just a principle, but a pathway to trust, equity, and global collaboration in research.
A call to collective leadership!
This publication is not a conclusion, but a starting point for action. It invites policymakers, funders, and infrastructure providers to work together for an effective transition.
Read the full report, share it with your networks, and join the conversation on how we can collectively transition to infrastructures that make responsible assessment possible for everyone, everywhere.
Transitioning to Open Infrastructures for Responsible Research Assessment: Barriers, Enablers, and Strategic Recommendations - https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17399515.
