ANECA participates in the 2nd CoARA National Chapters Forum in Bonn

On March 13 and 14, the second CoARA (Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment) National Chapter Forum took place in Bonn, Germany, with representatives from 14 national chapters, along with two recently established ones: the Netherlands and Slovenia. The meeting provided a space for dialogue and exchange to advance the transformation of research assessment systems. The Spanish National Chapter was represented by the CSIC and ANECA, two of the coordinating institutions. Irene Ramos Vielba, Advisory Board Member at ANECA, also participated as a member of the CoARA Steering Board.

During the sessions, the assessment system of Germany, the Forum's host country, was presented, and the next strategic steps for CoARA National Chapters to achieve greater impact were discussed. Plenary sessions addressed how to define success in this process in each context, which activities are most effective, and what support will be needed to continue moving forward. The Spanish Chapter highlighted the achievement of collaboration among diverse entities, utilizing an inclusive, participatory approach oriented toward mutual learning. The value of dialogue, transparency, and collective action were also emphasized as drivers of a cultural shift in evaluation in our system.

The Forum highlighted the challenges shared by the different Chapters in promoting transformative reform. To achieve this, it is essential to coordinate the various existing policies and initiatives, as well as mobilize the research community and connect with society. At the operational level, it is important to have roadmaps, institutional action plans, and sustainable resources that ensure realistic and sustained progress over time.

A central focus of the meeting was the promotion of international collaboration among Chapters, considered essential for generating critical mass, sharing good practices, and useful tools, which will be compiled in the future National Chapters Support Handbook. This network will allow for the opening of thematic spaces for participation, creating synergies between Chapters, and the possible organization of a joint symposium. Furthermore, dialogue beyond CoARA, with other actors in the scientific ecosystem, seeks to ensure this transformation is transversal and sustainable.

As a final announcement, it was confirmed that the next edition of the National Chapters Forum in 2026 will be held in Spain. The event will be organized by CRUE, with the support of the other coordinating institutions of the National Chapter: ANECA, CSIC, and ISCIII. This represents an opportunity to continue consolidating this collective movement to reform research evaluation.