How can we turn research assessment reform into lasting systemic change? It was a main theme of the CoARA Conference 2026, held in Paris on 7-8 September. Prof. Paweł Rowiński, IG PAS Director and ALLEA President attened the event.
CoARA (Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment) is one of ALLEA’s flagship projects; Prof. Rowiński has served as its president since June 2024. It is an international initiative aimed at reforming the way scientific activity and researchers’ achievements are evaluated, and moving away from simplified bibliometric indicators toward a more qualitative and responsible approach.
The goal of the conference was to summarize ongoing activities, discuss the biggest challenges, and deliberate on the future of the reform of the scientific research evaluation system.
Across Europe, increasing competition and a persistent ‘publish-or-perish’ culture have placed too much emphasis on journal- and publication-based metrics. We know that the inappropriate use of such indicators can affect researchers’ careers and well-being. But the consequences go further: they can also impact the quality of scholarly outcomes, the diversity of our research communities, and ultimately trust in the research system – said Prof. Rowiński in his opening remarks.
He also emphasized the special role of academies in shaping standards, recognizing and promoting scientific excellence. The way in which scientists are selected, compensated, and recognized sends an important signal about what is important from the perspective of the European research system.
Links:
Offcial webpage of the conference: https://www.coara.org/coara-conference-2026/
Post on ALLEA’s LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7502722373599715328