The Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA) is a broad coalition of over 700 organizations from around the world, which was established in 2022 and works internationally to reform the research assessment system.

Current methods of evaluating research are largely based on quantitative indicators, such as the number of citations, and often do not take into account other relevant types of scientific activity undertaken by researchers. Therefore, in July 2022, CoARA concluded an Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment, which outlines the reform and plans for its implementation.

Kazimierz Wielki University has been a member of CoARA since 2024. The coalition includes working groups and national chapters. UKW joined the National Chapter Poland and currently also works in two national working groups (Institutional Evaluation and Project Assessment).

In the autumn of 2025, UKW also developed an “Action Plan” for 2025-2030, thus starting work on changes to the university's research assessment system, in conjunction with the following CoARA’s 10 commitments:

• Recognise the diversity of contributions to, and careers in, research in accordance with the needs and nature of the research.
• Base research assessment primarily on qualitative evaluation for which peer review is central, supported by responsible use of quantitative indicators.
• Abandon inappropriate uses in research assessment of journal- and publication-based metrics, in particular inappropriate uses of Journal Impact Factor (JIF) and h-index
• Avoid the use of rankings of research organisations in research assessment
• Commit resources to reforming research assessment as is needed to achieve the organisational changes committed to
• Review and develop research assessment criteria, tools and processes.
• Raise awareness of research assessment reform and provide transparent communication, guidance, and training on assessment criteria and processes as well as their use.
• Exchange practices and experiences to enable mutual learning within and beyond the Coalition.
• Communicate progress made on adherence to the Principles and implementation of the Commitments.
• Evaluate practices, criteria and tools based on solid evidence and the state-of-the-art in research on research, and make data openly available for evidence gathering and research.

In the coming years, together with other partners belonging to CoARA, UKW will continue to work towards the implementation of the expected reforms in this system evaluation both at the national and international level, which will, in turn, enable corresponding changes at the university level.

Currently, the UKW representative in CoARA is Dr Krzysztof Garczewski, Rector’s Representative for the Improvement of Research Assessment Systems (e-mail: garczewski@ukw.edu.pl).

To know more about the CoARA coalition, visit coara.eu