CoARA National Chapter Germany

April 26, 2024

National Chapter's Objectives

The NC Germany serves three main purposes:

It offers a forum for the discussion and coordination of CoARA matters, specific to the German research landscape. These topics could include assessment relevant aspects of financial incentive structures inscribed in German (state or federal) law or statutes of universities / higher education institutions or associations, legislative developments or novel funding schemes of national importance.
The NC supports the reform of research assessment practices and culture in practical ways. The NC would likely be regarded (by political authorities at all levels, research funding and performing institutions, reviewers and applicants) as a relevant player in the research landscape, which could in itself strengthen the cultural change (via assessment, administrative or governance and other reforms as well as changes of individual behaviour), and allow the NC to advocate for specific goals. It could also enhance the reach of ideas developed in the CoARA working groups in which various NC members are active. Furthermore, the NC helps members in their CoARA-related reporting duties by exchanging experiences, positions and (open) questions.
The NC serves as a point of contact for German organisations that are interested in the topic of research assessment reform but are not – or not yet – signatories of ARRA or members of CoARA. On the one hand, this could assist organisations that consider joining CoARA. On the other hand, German organisations which have voiced concerns over certain details of CoARA could be involved in the discussion on research assessment reform without requiring membership.

Recent Events

Updated on 28 October 2025

NC Germany Members Hybrid Meeting in Berlin

The Germany National Chapter of the Coalition for Reforming Research Assessment (CoARA) held its autumn meeting from October 9–10, 2025. The meeting, organized by the Helmholtz Open Science Office, brought together the National Chapter's 42 member organizations both in person at the Humboldt University in Berlin and online.

On the first day, a public session presented the latest developments within the international coalition and the National Chapter, including the announcement that four German projects had received funding through CoARA’s recent cascade funding call. Two of these projects were showcased during the session, illustrating how these organizations integrate CoARA’s strategy and goals into their institutional guidelines. Participants also received updates on recent outcomes from CoARA working groups on "Recognizing and Rewarding Peer Review", "Towards Transformations", and "Improving Practices in the Assessment of Research Proposals".

In the afternoon, an internal members’ session focused on best practices from ongoing institutional projects and initiatives, covering topics such as the development of new quality-based metrics for data and software publications, awareness-raising programs, and high-level policy guidance on the relation between open science and research assessment.

On the second day, two talks examined the relationship between research excellence and CoARA’s commitments and guiding principles. This was followed by group discussions on the characteristics of research excellence, the conditions necessary to achieve it, and the supportive role CoARA can play.

The CoARA National Chapter Germany is expected to meet again online in spring 2026. In the meantime, a dedicated webinar will be organized to support the development and implementation of CoARA Action Plans.

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