Enhancing Research Assessment: The Role of the Executive Agency for Higher Education, Research, Development, and Innovation Funding in Romania

• August 22, 2024

The Executive Agency for Higher Education, Research, Development, and Innovation Funding (UEFISCDI) in Romania is making significant strides in modernizing research assessment through its participation in the OPUS project. As one of the pilot organizations testing the OPUS Research Assessment Framework, UEFISCDI is focused on introducing interventions and indicators that incentivize and reward researchers for adopting open science practices.

UEFISCDI is the primary funding body for competitive research in Romania and serves as a key policy advisor to the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Research. The organization plays a crucial role as a national hub for open science, supporting the development and implementation of related policies. This commitment is reflected in its rigorous and robust research assessment process, which incorporates international peer review and advanced digital platforms.

One of the agency’s notable strengths lies in its comprehensive research assessment procedures, which balance quantitative and qualitative indicators. The use of platforms like Brainmap, which boasts over 60,000 registered accounts from researchers worldwide, and the UDiManager and eVoks platforms, has significantly streamlined operations, improving data accuracy and efficiency.

Despite these advancements, UEFISCDI faces challenges, including ensuring sustainable funding in a competitive environment, balancing different assessment criteria, and reducing administrative burdens. The agency recognizes the need to shift away from traditional metrics like journal impact factors and is working closely with the research community to introduce new practices and indicators.

The OPUS framework has already influenced UEFISCDI’s approach to research assessment, prompting the introduction of new indicators in pilot funding calls, such as those for centers of excellence. The framework also aligns with ongoing efforts in other projects like the GRASP-OS, where UEFISCDI is developing a new researcher profile model that emphasizes openness and responsible research assessment.

Through these initiatives, UEFISCDI is positioning itself at the forefront of research assessment reform, aligning with European and international standards to foster a more open and innovative research environment in Romania.