Towards a cultural change in research assessment at the UOC
Reforming research assessment is a priority for the UOC. With this in mind, the university has introduced a series of actions since 2018 to align with the international movement to update research assessment and promote a fairer, more responsible assessment system.
Following careful reflection by the Research and Knowledge Transfer Committee, the UOC was the first Spanish university to sign the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA) in 2019. This action was the first result of the "new research assessment models" pillar of the UOC's Open Knowledge Action Plan approved in 2019.
In line with the European reform movement, the UOC also signed the European Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment and has been a member of the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA) since its inception in late 2022. The assessment system promoted by CoARA is based on prioritizing qualitative assessment, with peer assessment and a responsible use of quantitative indicators.
As one of the commitments on joining CoARA, the UOC approved its first CoARA Action Plan (2024-2027), which establishes the framework and specific measures for action. The plan's governance structure is also clearly defined, with the establishment of a CoARA Commission at the UOC, made up of teaching, research and administrative staff, coordinated by Pastora Martínez Samper, Commissioner for International Action, and supported by the Open Science team.
Results of community participation
The ECE4CoARA project (2025-2026), funded by the CoARA Boost Cascade Funding Programme, has helped embed the principles of reform in the university's actual processes, through a participatory approach involving the UOC community.
The
Decidim CoARA-UOC platform allowed the research community to reflect on and improve a number of internal assessment processes. In total, there were:
- 69 participants from across the UOC community
- 50 comments and qualitative contributions
- 70 proposals for improvements to the assessment processes
- 3 cross-functional workshops with the university's strategic leaders
Research assessment reform:pilot tests and processes
We've piloted changes in three key areas to ensure that the new criteria are fair and applicable to all stages of research careers.
Doctoral School
We've updated the annual assessment for doctoral students, moving towards a
Professional Development Plan (PDP) model. The aim is to provide support linked to competencies and mentoring, rather than simply to monitor performance. Debate moderated by Iolanda García González and David Massip Rodo.>
Take a look at the debate on Decidim about doctoral studies
Academic staff
Contributions have been made to the design of a promotion model based on the work of other UOC teams, and to foster
institutional trust. Greater value is placed on research staff's forward-looking vision and impact – in terms of teaching, research and knowledge transfer – than the number of works they've published. Debate moderated by M. Jesús Martínez-Argüelles and María Teresa Pérez García. >
Take a look at the proposals for the promotion of teaching and research staff
Research groups
In collaboration with the
UOC-TRÀNSIC research centre, we have piloted a collective assessment system that recognizes disciplinary diversity and scientific attribution in interdisciplinary projects. Debate moderated by Ramon Ribera Fumaz. >
Take a look at the debate on research units
ECE4CoARA Project (24-CoARA-060) – Co-funded by the European Union within the framework of the CoARA Boost project (Grant Agreement No. 101131826)
