CoARA Project Updates

In March 2026, the University of Bern signed the Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment. In an interview with Uni AKTUELL (March 11, 2026), Andrew Chan, Vice Rector for International and Academic Careers, explained this step and its puropse.

The ARRA aims to promote a qualitative, holistic approach to research assessment that recognizes the full range of research contributions and their impact, rather than relying primarily on quantitative metrics. It focuses in particular on the following areas:

  • Recruitment and faculty hiring
  • Promotion and career development
  • Research funding decisions
  • Institutional research assessment

The reform is coordinated by the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA), which was established in 2022 by the signatories. CoARA supports participating institutions by facilitating the exchange of experiences and good practices in developing quality-oriented approaches to research assessment.

Signing the agreement initiates a binding process with clear milestones. Within one year of signing, each organization must develop an action plan outlining the measures, processes, and tools needed to implement the agreement and explain how their effectiveness will be assessed. Within five years of signing, the organization must report to the coalition on its implementation progress.

Process

Prozessgrafik

Current status

The Academic Careers Office is coordinating the initiative in collaboration with the Research Management Office. Together, they have developed a template for the action plan. As a first step, they reviewed which processes, tools, and methods were already in place or planned at the University of Bern and aligned with the agreement’s guiding principles. The aim is to build on existing efforts and synergies while avoiding additional bureaucracy.

Following this initial review, the Faculties and the Intermediate Staff Association were involved in the process. Their expertise is essential to defining measures that reflect the specific contexts of different disciplines and address the challenges faced by early-career researchers. These measures should also be capable of becoming an integral and lasting part of the respective academic cultures.

Next steps

The deans were invited to a meeting in April 2026 with the faculty leadership, the Vice-Rector for International and Academic Careers, and other project participants. This approach builds on a dialogue-based process that has already proven effective in implementing the DORA Declaration.

The Faculties and the Intermediate Staff Association have each appointed a delegation. Meetings will take place between October 27 and December 22, 2026, and focus on reviewing the draft action plan and discussing additional measures. Delegations will receive preparatory materials in advance. After each meeting, the respective delegation will receive a written summary of the outcomes.

This page will be updated on an ongoing basis.