Celebrating 12 Years of DORA: A New Guide to Responsible Research Assessment

• April 23, 2025

As DORA (The Declaration on Research Assessment) marks its 12th anniversary, the team is thrilled to unveil a new milestone in the journey towards fairer research practices: A Practical Guide to Implementing Responsible Research Assessment at Research Performing Organizations. This new resource is aimed at helping institutions take actionable steps toward meaningful reform in research evaluation.

To celebrate the launch, DORA invites the global community to join one of three online panel discussions tailored to different time zones:

• Asia-Pacific: Thursday, 15 May 2025, 14:00 AEST
• Africa & Europe: Friday, 16 May 2025, 10:00 BST
• Americas: Friday, 16 May 2025, 14:00 EDT

During these sessions, DORA’s Chairs will introduce the Guide, while guest speakers will explore its relevance and impact across different institutional and regional contexts.

The Guide is a response to a common challenge: while many organizations are eager to reform research assessment, they often lack the time, expertise, or a clear starting point. This practical tool outlines proven steps—such as forming leadership support, establishing working groups, and creating communication plans—based on a decade of experience working with institutions worldwide. It also highlights key moments within the research assessment process where change is most impactful.

To further inspire and guide action, the Guide includes real-world case studies from organizations in Canada, Denmark, and Japan that have successfully adopted Responsible Research Assessment (RRA) approaches.

Understanding that a one-size-fits-all solution is unrealistic, the Guide is designed to be an adaptable and inspirational tool. Through upcoming events and discussions, DORA looks forward to exploring how the Guide can be applied and evolved in diverse environments.

The Guide was co-developed with stakeholders who met in January 2025 in Maryland, USA. It is part of Project TARA, a DORA initiative supported by Arcadia, a charitable foundation dedicated to cultural heritage, nature conservation, and open access to knowledge. Together with tools like Reformscape, Building Blocks for Impact, and Debiasing Committee Composition, the Guide forms a comprehensive suite for institutions looking to drive meaningful change.

DORA invites everyone to be part of this global conversation and help shape the future of responsible research assessment.