The Evaluation, Certification and Accreditation Committee (CECA) has addressed ACPUA’s COARA Action Plan 2024–2028, a strategic instrument that sets out the Agency’s commitment to the reform of research assessment within the European framework.
ACPUA is a member of the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (COARA) and a signatory of the Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment, which entails progressing towards more qualitative, context-based and expert-driven evaluation models, with a responsible use of quantitative indicators.
The Action Plan aims to systematise the actions already developed since 2024, provide them with coherence within a common framework, and define the lines of work to be carried out until 2028, in alignment with both COARA principles and the national evaluation system.
The document establishes a set of objectives focused on consolidating a research assessment model based on strengthening qualitative judgement, contextualising results and recognising the diversity of trajectories and institutional contexts. It also foresees specific actions in key areas such as the review of evaluation procedures for university research institutes, the reactivation of the research assessment (six-year periods) for contracted staff at the University of Zaragoza, and the reinforcement of training and guidance for evaluators and applicants.
The Plan is structured around four main lines of action: active participation in COARA, the review of the evaluation model for university research institutes, the reactivation of research assessment for contracted staff, and the training and dissemination of responsible assessment principles.
During the 2024–2025 period, ACPUA has already implemented several actions aligned with these objectives, including active participation in COARA working groups, the introduction of changes in the evaluation of university research institutes aimed at greater contextualisation and a more qualitative approach, and alignment with the national model for research assessment.
The COARA Action Plan 2024–2028 reinforces ACPUA’s commitment to the continuous improvement of research assessment, contributing to the consolidation of a fairer, more inclusive and quality-oriented model within the European context, and will be subject to periodic monitoring to ensure its proper implementation.
