Bianca Kramer will explore the multi-faceted relationship between research assessment and openness, Questions around openness shape the lenses through which we look at research assessment – considering both who and what we include in assessment of research and researchers, and how such assessments can be performed.

On the question of who and what is included in research assessment, this concerns decisions on what research activities are included and which indicators of usage and impact (both qualitative and quantitative) are considered, but also who is involved in these decisions. What agency do researchers themselves have in what they are evaluated on, and how can research institutions and funders navigate the tension between context-dependency and comparability in assessment?

Regarding how research assessment is performed, there are questions around the extent to which available data shape choices in research assessment as well as around the importance and prioritization of open data sources. If it is considered that fair assessment requires full transparency, and equity in decision making requires inclusive data, then what does that mean for the systems we use and support to collect and analyze research information?

In her presentation, Bianca will discuss current international developments in reshaping research assessment, including – and how they position openness in the future of research assessment.