The international project RDA (Pacing the Way towards a Systematic Uptake of Emerging Reformative Approaches to RTD Assessment across the EU Research Ecosystem), funded under the Horizon Europe programme, seeks to foster the systematic and sustained uptake of responsible research assessment reforms across the European Research Area. RDA aims to raise awareness, promote institutional engagement, and build capacity in support of frameworks that encourage fair, quality-driven, and impact-oriented assessment. The project draws on key global and European reform frameworks: the Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment (2022), the work of the CoARA coalition, and the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA).
Building on these foundations, the project will implement support and coordination activities to align assessment systems with emerging standards. To this end, a maturity model based on indicators will be developed, supported by self-assessment tools, participatory planning, and capacity-building measures.
RDA will engage with universities, funders, policymakers, and early-career researchers to strengthen commitment to CoARA and DORA initiatives and support the adoption of responsible, inclusive, and sustainable assessment practices. The goal is a European research culture in which competences are better aligned, diverse contributions are valued, and assessment systems are responsive to societal and environmental objectives. Through open tools, peer learning, and policy-relevant insights, RDA will contribute to the ERA Policy Agenda and the broader EU objectives for a modern, excellence-oriented research ecosystem.
The consortium consists of 11 partners from across Europe – the lead is the Faculty of Economics and Sociology, University of Lodz, and LTFE represents the University of Ljubljana.
