# Research Assessment

**Source**: https://www.openscience.uzh.ch/en/research-evaluation.html
**Parent**: https://www.grc.uzh.ch/en/counseling/postdocs-overview.html

Taking Open Science practices and values into account in human resources (HR) processes is a prerequisite to become an open research organization.

This will have consequences for how the scientific community evaluates research content and performance as well as for academic career development.

## The Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment (CoARA)

UZH has signed the Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment in 2022. The agreement sets a shared direction for changes in assessment practices for research, researchers and research performing organisations, with the overarching goal to maximise the quality and impact of research. The agreement has been prepared in a collaborative process by a team composed of representatives from the European University Association (EUA), Science Europe, and the European Commission alongside Dr Karen Stroobants.

### Implementation: The CoARA Action Plan at UZH

In June 2025, the CoARA action plan was ratified by the University Board. The action plan outlines the current measures and future steps for successful implementation, naming the responsible central and decentralized units at UZH for each measure. Measures are divided into three levels:

- Evaluation of research projects
- Evaluation of individual researchers
- Evaluation of research units

### Download

Budmiger, Luzia & Müller, Lisa. 2025. CoARA Action Plan: University of Zurich. Zenodo. <https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15703600>

[News on the CoARA Action plan of UZH](https://www.research.uzh.ch/en/news/UZH-publishes-its-CoARA-Action-Plan.html)

## San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA)

UZH has signed the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA) in 2014 and promotes a comprehensive view on evaluating researchers without using journal-based metrics, such as Journal Impact Factors. This is also reflected in the Guidelines on Selection Procedures for hiring and promoting researchers.

[Guidelines on Selection Procedures](https://www.prof.uzh.ch/en/welcome/appointment_procedure/selection-procedure.html)

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## Grid containing content elements

### [Hiring at UZH](https://www.openscience.uzh.ch/en/research-evaluation/hiring-at-uzh.html)

[More about Hiring at UZH](https://www.openscience.uzh.ch/en/research-evaluation/hiring-at-uzh.html)

How are researchers evaluated in the hiring process.

### [Rankings](https://www.openscience.uzh.ch/en/research-evaluation/rankings.html)

[More about Rankings](https://www.openscience.uzh.ch/en/research-evaluation/rankings.html)

How is UZH ranked compared to other universities.

### [Responsible use of metrics](https://www.openscience.uzh.ch/en/research-evaluation/metrics.html)

[More about Responsible use of metrics](https://www.openscience.uzh.ch/en/research-evaluation/metrics.html)

What metrics are used to evaluate researchers.

## Additional Information

### Download UZH Documents

- [CoARA Action Plan of UZH](https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15703600 "CoARA Action Plan of UZH")
- [Open Science in the Hiring Process (HI-FRAME)](https://www.openscience.uzh.ch/en/open-science-at-uzh/p5-open-science-projects/projects-2021-2024/hi-frame.html "Open Science in the Hiring Process (HI-FRAME)")

### Further Information

- [San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment](https://sfdora.org/ "San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment")
- [The Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment](https://coara.eu/agreement/the-agreement-full-text/ "The Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment")

- [Use of Metrics](https://www.openscience.uzh.ch/en/research-evaluation/metrics.html)
- [Hiring at UZH](https://www.openscience.uzh.ch/en/research-evaluation/hiring-at-uzh.html)
- [Rankings](https://www.openscience.uzh.ch/en/research-evaluation/rankings.html)