Responsible assessment

In 2023, Jamk committed to the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA). This coalition includes over 600 research organizations, including major research funders. CoARA's main goal is to maximize the quality and impact of research by reforming evaluation methods and focus areas. 

Practically, the aim is to enhance transparency, better recognize research quality, and more comprehensively acknowledge the diverse merits of contributors, including various roles and expertise from different fields. The emphasis is on qualitative assessment supported by selected quantitative indicators.

CoARA is based on ten core commitments that guide the principles and practices of the reform. Each committed organization creates its own Action Plan for 2024–2027 to start reforming its evaluation practices. CoARA allows organizations to develop their plans based on their specific needs and practices. Like many other Finnish universities of applied sciences, Jamk's starting point for development of the evaluation is not just research, but the entire research and development activity, along with the expert staff involved. Which functions and who are subject to evaluation in universities of applied sciences, and how does this affect, for example, internal funding distribution or career and recruitment models? These are questions Finnish universities of applied sciences are also considering in collaboration.

Read more: CoARA’s Core Commitments

CoARA also offers an opportunity to clarify and improve existing processes and their quality management. Jamk’s Action Plan is divided into three levels: overall R&D activities, research and development projects, and researchers and R&D experts.

1. Development of Research and Development Evaluation
   • CoARA commitments are taken into account in the regular internal evaluation of RDI activities.
   • Utilization of peer learning between higher education institutions in the development of responsible evaluation
   • Participation in national cooperation: Membership in the National Chapter of CoARA, cooperation between higher education institutions in CoARA implementation, participation in the development and implementation of nationwide responsible researcher evaluation recommendations.
      
2. Development of Project Evaluation
   • Review and piloting of evaluation criteria
   • Redesigning of project evaluation in different phases of the project cycle, taking into account developed evaluation criteria
   • Development and piloting of the thematical assessment across unit/school boundaries (e.g., Jamk’s research groups, research themes, project portfolios, strate-gic focus areas). In the assessment, self-assessment and peer review are used. 
      
3. Development of Researcher and RDI Expert Evaluation
   • Development of researcher career models: Unified CV model, identification and recognition of diverse researcher career paths
   • Development of RDI expert career models: Developing portfolio model for recruitment and supporting career development, identification and recognition of diverse RDI expert competences and tasks
   • Consideration of the international perspective, especially in the researcher career model
   • Development of procedures utilizing co-development, pilot testing, peer review, and self-assessment
   • Information sharing, engagement, and training of supervisors

CoARA Action Plans are public and can be accessed in full via the Zenodo service. 

Check out Jamk's CoARA Action Plan 2024-2027

Jamk University of Applied Sciences has already committed to promoting the principles of open science and research in terms of operational culture, publications, research data, and learning. One part of this commitment is the national recommendation for responsible researcher evaluation.

The foundation of responsible researcher evaluation is building a transparent process that considers integrity, fairness, competence, and diversity, recognizing the diversity of researchers' tasks and involving researchers in the evaluation. CoARA and the responsible researcher evaluation recommendation complement each other. Committing to CoARA provides Jamk with practical tools to promote responsible researcher evaluation.

Read more about the reforming research assessment and Jamk's RDI activities