The Agreement on Research Assessment Reform eventually resulted in a Coalition of Organisations for the Advancement of Research Assessment (CoARA), which brings together organisations and institutions from around the world. AVAP is a member of CoARA and a signatory to the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA). As a member of CoARA and signatory to DORA, and in line with the reforms proposed by both, AVAP is committed to developing evaluation processes in line with these reforms, supporting and carrying out thorough, accountable and reliable research evaluation processes, where research quality is paramount.
AVAP is fully aware that the reliability and value of research evaluation based solely on bibliometric data do not guarantee transparent, useful and contextualised results and is therefore committed to:
- Maintain and promote the highest standards of rigour and integrity in all aspects of research evaluation, giving priority to qualitative criteria, without disdaining quantitative ones, although these should always be used appropriately.
- Conduct well-established, transparent and fair processes, both for the assessment of the investigation and for any allegations and appeals that may arise.
- Work on all activities carried out by AVAP, especially those involving research evaluation, to reinforce the culture of quality and good practice, allocating the necessary resources to carry out this reform, thus enabling the organisational changes committed to.
- Focusing research criteria on quality, as well as recognising the wide variety of research missions and methodologies, so that results are verifiable and reproducible, favouring data exchange and open collaboration.
- Use evaluation criteria and processes adapted to the different profiles on which they are applied, as well as recognise research that represents an advance in knowledge and the potential impact of its results, assuming that they may be of a very different nature.
- Raise awareness of the reform through communication, guidance and training on the criteria and processes designed, as well as on their use, to all actors involved.
- Disseminate in all its communications related to the research evaluation the most significant aspects of DORA and CoARA, as well as using the logos of both in all AVAP’s public exposure channels.
