The Coalition for the Advancement of Research Assessment (CoARA), which UCM joined in 2023, aims to transform how research is evaluated. The Faculty of Medicine hosted a session on October 29th to discuss the international context of this reform, the Action Plan's content, and UCM's participation in CoARA's national chapter.
Lucía de Juan Ferré, Vice-Rector for Research and Transfer, reported that CoARA currently involves 855 organizations from 63 countries, with Spain having the largest number of members (99), 60% of which are universities. The initiative is funded by the European Union until 2029, with plans to seek alternative funding thereafter.
The 2023 LOSU already highlighted the need for a qualitative shift in research evaluation. In line with this, ANECA and the State Research Agency have also updated criteria and signed commitments with CoARA. The use of open access repositories like Docta Complutense is crucial for showcasing UCM's research, requiring authors to declare their specific contributions.
The Vice-Rector believes it is ideal for all Complutense researchers to review the evaluation criteria to implement the commitments by the end of 2027. For any queries, the national chapter of CoARA, established in 2024 and led by CRUE, ANECA, CSIC, and the Carlos III Health Institute, can be contacted.
Within the national chapter, four working groups have been formed: methodologies, criteria, interdisciplinarity, and awareness and training. UCM actively participates in the latter group and represents CRUE in the national chapter, emphasizing its role in both national and international spheres. De Juan Ferré acknowledges that some countries are more advanced and serve as examples, and that the comprehensive implementation of commitments will be gradual.
Awareness and training are vital for researchers to understand the necessity of the new evaluation system. The October 29th meeting aimed to secure faculty cooperation in disseminating CoARA's content, promoting a networked university where everyone contributes to making the commitment a reality.
