Responsible Research Assessment and Research Information Management Systems

Abstract

In the context of open science, universities, research-performing and funding organizations and authorities worldwide are moving towards more responsible research assessment (RRA). In 2022, the European Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA) published an agreement with ten commitments, including the recognition of the “diversity of contributions to, and careers in, research”, the “focus on qualitative evaluation for which peer review is central, supported by responsible use of quantitative indicators”, and the “abandon (of) inappropriate uses in research assessment of journal- and publication-based metrics”. Research assessment (RA) is essential for research of the highest quality. The transformation of assessment indicators and procedures directly affects the underlying research information management infrastructures (also called current research information systems) which collect and store metadata on research activities and outputs. This entry investigates the impact of RRA on these systems, on their development and implementation, their data model and governance, including digital ethics.