Study shows growing progress on research assessment reform across Europe

The European Commission has published in June 2026 an independent expert study of 42 pages offering an evidence-informed baseline assessment of progress under the Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment (ARRA). The report reviews how organisations that signed ARRA — most of them members of the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA) — are putting reform commitments into practice.

Based on qualitative and quantitative evidence, the study finds that engagement with CoARA and ARRA is broad and increasing across Europe. Many research organisations are already taking concrete steps to change how researchers and research projects are evaluated, moving beyond a narrow focus on publications and metrics to better recognise a wider range of contributions, skills and career paths.

At the same time, progress remains uneven across countries and institutions, reflecting different starting points and national contexts. The report does not judge success or failure but captures a key transition from early commitments towards sustained implementation at scale.

The findings come at a crucial moment, halfway through the European Research Area (ERA) Policy Agenda 2025–2027. They will help inform the next ERA Policy Agenda 2027–2029 and the future Horizon Europe programme. The study provides important evidence to guide policy learning, coordination and support as reform efforts advance.

The study can be downloaded here: Implementing research assessment reforms