It is with great sadness that the CoARA community mourns the loss of Professor Dr. Matthias Koenig who passed away on 12 January 2026 after a serious illness. As a founding member of the CoARA Steering Board, Vice President of the German Research Foundation (DFG), and member of the Governing Board of Science Europe, his death is a profound loss for the research community and to all those who had the pleasure of working with him.
Within CoARA, Professor Koenig was a respected member of the first Steering Board, where he played an essential role during the coalition’s foundational stages. He was a strong advocate for the fair and equal representation of countries and world regions, consistently emphasising the importance of inclusivity and balance in global research assessment reform. Remembered as a fair and thorough thinker, Koenig consistently advocated for taking the costs of research assessment reform seriously, alongside its intended benefits.
CoARA Vice Chair, Dr. Karen Stroobants, reflects on her time serving alongside Koenig on the CoARA Steering Board:
“Matthias Koenig was a deeply respected member of CoARA’s inaugural Steering Board. His colleagues in CoARA remember him as a thoughtful, principled, and values-driven contributor whose professionalism and integrity helped anchor the coalition in its formative years. His voice, always constructive and grounded in a genuine commitment to improving research assessment, remains a part of CoARA’s foundations.”
Beyond CoARA, Professor Koenig also supported responsible research assessment through his service on the Governing Board of Science Europe, further demonstrating his commitment to improving research cultures and policies across Europe and beyond. As a sociologist, Matthias Koenig brought a distinctive and critically informed perspective to debates on responsible research assessment. He was particularly interested in the growing influence of metrics on social and political life, and he encouraged thoughtful reflection on how evaluative practices shape academic behaviour and institutions.
Matthias Koenig will be remembered not only for his intellectual contributions and leadership, but also for the care, seriousness, and fairness with which he engaged others. He will be greatly missed. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and colleagues.