RPN Live: Chair of Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment targets countries as priorities for outreach
Germany and the UK are lagging on joining the EU-initiated Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment, according to the chair of its steering group.
Coara has been created to help organisations implement the voluntary Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment, which was initiated by the European Commission and then taken forward by the research sector, with the aim of making its assessment of researchers fairer and more reflective of the breadth of their roles.
During a Research Professional News Live webinar on assessment reform on 4 April, Coara steering board chair Rianne Letschert said she was targeting Germany and the UK for outreach because they are underrepresented in the coalition.
“The UK and Germany would be my first top priority countries to have more signatories before the end of this year,” Letschert said.
She said her impression was that there is concern in Germany about the reform being “too much of a political movement, with the European Commission heavily involved”.
By contrast, Letschert said she sees the Commission’s involvement as “very positive” and that she would like to discuss the politicisation concerns with those who have them.
Letschert said she would not “give up on Germany yet” and would also “love to see more signatories from the UK”. She said she has already started approaching university leaders in the countries to find out why they have not signed the agreement.
Organisations began signing up last year and about 500—ranging from funding agencies to universities—have signed up to date.
Signatories can choose whether to join the coalition, which Letschert said was valuable in part because it could help facilitate change.