The Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) signed DORA in December 2018 as a fundamental element of its Open Knowledge Action Plan. The Plan recalls the important role that knowledge and institutions of higher education play in contributing to a sustainable and fair future. Recognizing the important challenges societies are now faced with and which are included in the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals as well as the obstacles related to the free circulation of knowledge, the UOC is committed to taking action as a knowledge hub. Reflecting on current research assessment practices and introducing changes in how evaluation of research is conducted at the UOC play an important role in the Action Plan.
In preparation of signing DORA, the UOC assembled an interdisciplinary task force for the transformation of research assessment at the university, which following a participatory process, produced a report on the changes needed to conform to the DORA principles. The UOC is currently promoting an institutional wide reflection and discussion to generate consensus on changes towards DORA in institutional evaluation practices.