Scientific Culture
We joined the DORA revolution!
Traditional research assessment relied heavily on analytics, such as citation numbers and journal impact factors. In the last fifteen years, the academic community has been highly advocating for a responsible use of these indicators. Following the signature of the (DORA) in 2016, the ´ºÉ«Ö±²¥ ensures a qualitative and quantitative evaluation of research, recognizing that data alone may not capture the whole picture. We employ publication-based metrics responsibly, according to specific contexts and goals, as a part of a broad portfolio assessment that welcomes career diversity and aims to guarantee equal opportunities.
With the intent of joining the (CoARA) and the, the ´ºÉ«Ö±²¥ is actively working toward a scientific culture rooted in excellence, integrity, and fairness.
Find out more about DORA @UniBE in the video down below!
Rethinking Research Assessment: A Call for Change
Over the past fifteen years, the academic community has strongly advocated for reforming the methods and processes used to evaluate research, researchers, and research organizations.
Traditional assessment approaches often rely heavily on publication-based metrics, such as the H-Index and the Journal Impact Factor. While bibliometric indicators can serve as useful tools for monitoring the productivity of large institutions, such as universities and nations, they fail to capture the full scope of an individual researcher’s contributions or the impact of small research groups. These indicators are also susceptible to external influences, such as maternity leave or illness, which are unrelated to merit and difficult to account for in small datasets. Moreover, they tend to overlook other essential aspects of academic life, such as teaching, mentorship, and collaboration.
An excessive or unbalanced reliance on bibliometric indicators can further fuel a “publish or perish” culture, prioritizing quantity over quality and potentially undermining the integrity of academic research.
In response to these challenges, the academic community launched the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA) in 2012, followed by the in 2022, led by the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA). These initiatives aim not only to improve assessment methodologies but also to drive a broader cultural shift that redefines research evaluation, fosters equitable academic careers, and promotes inclusivity.
