DORA is pleased to announce a new digital repository of case studies, “Reimagining academic career assessment: stories of innovation and change,” to examine institutional change for academic career assessment across several organizations. The repository was created in collaboration with the European University Association (EUA) and SPARC Europe.
The case studies document an organization’s motivations, processes, and timelines to better understand the institutional change approach for academic career assessment. Information for each case was collected through responses to an online survey and virtual interviews with participating universities and national consortia.
Since DORA’s inception, we have recognized the need to improve ways in which research and researchers are evaluated. DORA records and catalogues good practices from academic institutions, funders, and professional societies to support the development of fair and responsible academic career assessment. While examples like these are valuable, they often lack critical information about the process of institutional change. As a result, implementing new policies and practices remains a challenge for many organizations because of the size and complexity of the task. We hope the repository will serve as a tool for institutions seeking to review or improve academic assessment by:
- Providing clarity on how and in which context assessment reform is being developed and implemented
- Illustrating potential pathways for change in other settings
At the time of release, the repository contains ten case studies. Seven highlight institutional-level policy and practice reform, with three cases examining the national reform process. Nine case studies come from Europe, and one is from China. DORA plans to continue creating and adding cases to the repository. We are especially keen to add cases from other world regions. Please reach out to DORA if you know an academic institution or national consortia we should consider (info@sfdora.org).
A report co-authored by DORA, EUA, and SPARC Europe that summarizes key findings from the initial ten cases studies will be published in January, and we are planning a joint-webinar to present and discuss the report’s findings. Stay tuned for more!