The Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA) and the Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA) release a joint statement.
3 December 2025
With an aim to strengthen a global culture of responsible research assessment and drive impact through aligned principles, CoARA is pleased to announce a joint statement released with the Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA). The official joint statement is the result of years of collaborative efforts between the two initiatives and following strategic conversations at the EU Presidency High-Level Conference on Reforming Research Assessment in Copenhagen (3-4 December 2025).
United for a better research system
More robust, transparent and equitable research assessment supports better research. This premise unites those gathering at the EU high-level Conference on Reforming Research Assessment (CERRA). It is also the ambition of many local, national and international initiatives that have emerged over the past decades. On the sidelines of the meeting we have also come together to celebrate the three year anniversary of CoARA and to advance the implementation work of DORA. As we move our agendas forward we wanted to share some of the ways DORA and CoARA work together and complement each other’s activities.
Increasing momentum for change
DORA was established as a Declaration in 2013 and as an organisation in 2018. Building on the momentum of its growing signatory base, a group of organizations established a global initiative to advance the principles laid out in the Declaration and beyond.
Building on momentum created by DORA and others, and seeing the need for a community of research organizations engaged in assessment reform, a group came together to develop the Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment (ARRA) and formed the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA) in 2022.
Working together: Communicating and complementing
Our shared goals and the need for urgent reform of research assessment mean that CoARA and DORA are increasingly working closely together to ensure that our efforts align where appropriate and complement wherever possible, to maximise momentum and to support each others’ activities. We achieve this coordination through many approaches including DORA’s participation directly as an institutional observer on the CoARA Steering Board, and CoARA’s contribution as part of the National and International Initiatives Community of Practice hosted by DORA.
Our strengths complement and amplify each other’s work. DORA as an organization supports change through raising awareness and offering a wide range of practical and flexible tools that support adaptable approaches for change. CoARA works as a community to guide institutions through a structured approach to self assessment and reflection. DORA works with a wide range of individuals and organizations. CoARA is focused on the support of public institutions willing to sign up to deliver on the core and supporting commitments found in ARRA. DORA develops tools supporting a diverse range of stakeholders. CoARA’s Working Groups and National Chapters bring together Coalition members and interested parties to solve problems and develop resources for the broader research community.
This growing coordination of activities and involvement between DORA and CoARA facilitates advocacy for change at the highest levels, including engagement with this Conference on Reforming Research Assessment. Furthermore, the diversity of approaches ensures that there is an appropriate way to engage in assessment reform for any interested individual or organisation
Join us to take the next steps on a shared journey
CoARA and DORA are just two of a diverse and global group of initiatives that share the aim of driving systemic change towards better research systems. Collectively, we engage in a wide range of crucial and complementary activities that are all part of the journey towards widespread reform. Organisations can learn from DORA’s resources and case studies, and can benefit from an examination of how advancing the ARRA commitments will benefit them. All those with an interest in better research can learn from the outputs of CoARA Working Groups and DORA initiatives, and also from the rich array of resources produced by other initiatives. While the focus is not identical, the ambition for better research assessment to foster better research is shared.
DORA and CoARA look forward to working together, in collaboration and in complementing the work of each other, and of other related initiatives, to support research organizations globally. The best time to start on the journey of research assessment reform is today. Reach out to the initiatives closest to you and your goals for support and know that we will be working collectively to provide all the diverse forms of support you will need when the time comes.