CoARA @ Charité und BIH
Welcome to CoARA@Charité and BIH
CoARA stands for Coalition for Advancing Research Assessments (CoARA). On July 20th, 2022, the European Commission, the European University Association and Science Europe published the Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment. The coalition was officially founded on December 2nd, 2022. The agreement was jointly developed through a broad stakeholder process involving over 350 organizations, including the Berlin Institute of Health (BIH). In November 2022 (BIH) and March 2023 (Charité), the BIH Board of Directors as well as Charité's Faculty Board and Executive Board adopted the agreement and confirmed their participation in CoARA. Prior to adoption, CoARA had been presented for discussion to both the Charité Research Commission and the Faculty Council at Charité. In April 2023, the Berlin University Alliance (BUA) also signed the agreement and joined CoARA.
The agreement outlines a common direction for reforming research assessment practices, aiming to enhance both the quality of research and its social and economic impact. It describes core principles that include the diversification of research outputs, a stronger emphasis on quality-based evaluation criteria, and the responsible use of quantitative indicators grounded in scientific evidence. Additionally, the agreement promotes values such as open science, inclusion, and diversity. These principles are to be implemented across all member institutions. You can find the full text of the agreement here.
As part of CoARA, organizations worldwide—including universities, research centers, public and private research funders, national and regional authorities, and professional societies—are expected to participate and collaborate in the ongoing development and, above all, the implementation of the agreed principles and criteria. The CoARA Secretariat, which provides administrative support for this process, is funded by the European Commission and staffed by the European Science Foundation.
Over the next five years, the signatories to the agreement will actively review their existing research assessment procedures and, where necessary, realign them with the principles set out in the agreement.
Action Plan
The Action Plan represents the first deliverable from Charité and BIH to CoARA. All signatory organizations are required to publish their Action Plans on Zenodo one year after signing.
The Action Plan aims to:
- Structure reform efforts and align them with the principles of CoARA
- Identify relevant actors and processes for reform
- Formulate evidence-based and realistic goals
- Map and measure progress in implementation, including potential positive and negative side effects
- Define responsibilities and identify resources
- Ensure sustainability of reforms and maintain the competitiveness of scientists and institutions
The process of creating the Action Plan implies:
- A participatory, co-creative process
- Consultation and discussion within the relevant committees of academic self-governance at Charité and BIH
- Consistent work on a ‘living document’ that adapts to changing circumstances and is continuously refined over time
In April 2025, we published the first version of the Action Plan - Part 1 on the Status Quo and Perspectives of internal actors (2024–2025) regarding the research assessment system at Charité and BIH. The document also provides background information on CoARA and its broader policy context. You can access it here.
Journal Club Diversity and Responsible Research and Innovation (DRIVERS)
The Journal Club Diversity and Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) – DRIVERS provides a forum for exchange on topics related to diversity, equity, and inclusion in science and academia. It continues the work of the former Journal Club on Diversity. In monthly meetings, participants critically engage with selected literature on RRI and diversity. A particular focus is placed on the role of research assessment and its ongoing reform efforts. The Journal Club aims to equip participants with a solid understanding of RRI and diversity by exploring key concepts and evidence from current research.
The Journal Club takes place online on the first Monday of each month at 11:00 am (CET). Participation is welcome on a regular or occasional basis. We recommend that participants read the selected paper in advance, as the discussion will be more engaging and valuable for everyone when all participants are familiar with the text.
Further information, dates and the login link can be found here.
The Journal Club is jointly organized by the following team:
The Journal Club Team
International CoARA Working Group SAGA
In order to collaborate, co-create, and exchange best practices on reforming research assessment, the "Incentives and Responsible Research Assessment" Working Group at BIH QUEST Center successfully applied for and is currently chairing an international CoARA working group "Supporting the alignment of research assessment systems with CoARA in biomedical disciplines through administrative reforms and governance" (SAGA).
The working group focuses on elaborating implementation strategies at the administrative and governance levels to support the harmonization of responsible research assessment systems in the biomedical sciences. Member organizations of the SAGA working group include EU-LIFE, Università degli Studi di Padova and University Vita-Salute San Raffaele (Italy), the National Cancer Institute (Netherlands), the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) and the Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS) (Spain).
Information on the working group can be found here.
How can I get involved?
First of all, thank you for your interest!
The implementation of CoARA is a participatory process—everyone is welcome and actively encouraged to contribute. At Charité and BIH, you can get involved in the following ways:
- Join our CoARA@Charité and BIH working group! We meet regularly and welcome all interested employees from Charité and BIH. The working group provides a space to explore evidence-based approaches to incentives and research assessment and shape concrete reform proposals. It also offers opportunities to connect with others interested in research policy and academic self-administration at Charité.
CoARA Charité and BIH representative
Dr. Miriam Kip, QUEST Center (miriam.kip@bih-charite.de)
Become a CoARA ambassador for your institution or department! Transforming a system as complex as research assessment requires broad support across all levels. You can also be part of the growing network of supporters.
CoARA ambassadors at Charité and BIH (as of May 22, 2025)
Dr. Jessica Rohmann – Research Fellow, BIH QUEST Center + Institute of Public Health (jessica.rohmann@charite.de)
Dr. René Bernard – Coordinator for Value and Open Science at NeuroCure Excellence Cluster (rene.bernard@charite.de)
Dr. Jennifer Kirwan – Head of the BIH Metabolomics Platform (jennifer.kirwan@bih-charite.de)
Karin Höhne – BIH Equal Opportunity Officer (karin.hoehne@bih-charite.de)
Dr. Vince Madai – Head of Research Group "Responsible Algorithms" at BIH QUEST Center (vince.madai@bih-charite.de)
Join our CoARA Working Group SAGA - "Supporting the alignment of research assessment systems with CoARA in biomedical disciplines through administrative reforms and governance".
The group meets online on the first Monday of each month to discuss progress and plan next steps – and you are welcome to join. While regular participation is encouraged, occasional contributions are equally appreciated.
For information on how to participate in the various activities, write to coara@charite.de.
Useful Links and Resources
Below, you’ll find links to general information about the initiative, along with useful resources for dissemination. If you require further information, please feel free to contact us.
- Action Plan to support the translation of the EU recommendations on research assessment reform (CoARA) into organizational practice at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin and the Berlin Institute of Health (BIH) 2024-2028 - Part 1: Introduction, Status Quo and Perspectives of internal actors (2024-2025)
- The MERIT Portal - an application and research assessment tool for appointments at Charité and BIH (pilot phase)
- Template for a structured, narrative CV for a professorship application in alignment with CoARA
- Structured project templates with integrated responsible research & innovation (RRI) and open sciences (OS) criteria and corresponding assessment aids for reviewers for (intramural) research funding lines at Charité and BIH
- Open Data IOM for researchers at the BIH
- Here you can find the full text of the CoARA agreement and recommendations
- You can also find more information about CoARA at the BUA here
Past Events and Announcements
January 2025:
On January 17, 2025, the BIH QUEST Center and the Einstein Foundation Award hosted a virtual workshop on structured, narrative CVs in the Life Sciences - a new format to recognize diverse scholarly contributions, now widely used in grant applications and hiring.
Narrative CVs are an innovative format that highlight a broad and holistic view of a researcher’s achievements with qualitative evidence. This workshop was designed to benefit both early career researchers (ECR) and those tasked with evaluating narrative CVs.
June 2024:
Open Call for Cascade Funding by CoARA - Deadline June 26th, 2024. For more information, follow this link.
If interested in applying, please contact the CoARA Charité representative Dr. Miriam Kip (miriam.kip@bih-charite.de).
May 2024:
SAGA’s asynchronous virtual brainstorm took place online on May 16-17, 2024. The workshop served as a call to action for professionals—particularly those involved in the administration and governance of research institutions—to engage in an international co-creation process aimed at developing a white paper and a practical action plan template. This template will support research institutions in implementing changes to their research assessment systems and organizational processes. Take a look at the agenda. More information here.
February 2024:
The asynchronous 'Virtual Brainstorm' to develop the Action Plan for the implementation of the CoARA principles on research assessment reforms at Charité and BIH took place on February 19 and 20, 2024.
Charité Newsletter announcement on the launch of the Journal Club for Diversity and Responsible Research and Innovation on February 5. (More)
January 2024:
Presentation of CoARA at the meeting of the Charité Research Commission (Slides)
Activities
2025
Kip, Miriam. 2025. Structured Narrative CVs in Life Sciences. Online Workshop, January 17.
Kip, Miriam. 2025. “Incentives and Research Assessment Reforms.” QUEST Pitch to the Sittinger Lab, Medical Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin.
Kip, Miriam. 2025. “OPEN MERIT – CoARA Aligned Activities at Charité and BIH.” CoARA Coordinators Meeting at Berlin University Alliance, February.
2024
BIH Indicator Working Group. 2024–2025. Repeated faculty meetings. With Miriam Kip. Led by Prof. Duda, Prof. Baum, and Dr. Kathrin Haubold. Berlin Institute of Health.
Kip, Miriam. 2024. “Incentives and Research Assessment Reforms.” QUEST Pitch to Adrien Guillot’s Working Group, Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin.
Kip, Miriam. 2024. “Good Assessment Practice and CoARA.” Presentation to representatives of the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres.
2024. “Advancing Research Assessment.” Poster presentation at STEM Passion – Women in Science Exhibition at the Rahel Hirsch Center, BIH.
Kip, Miriam. 2024. “Incentives and Research Assessment Reforms.” QUEST Pitch to the Center for Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine (CC7), Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin.
Kip, Miriam, Fabian Hempel, Lise Mohawad, and Cornelia Schendzielorz. 2024. “Matters of Research Assessment and its Implementation (MAI) Eine Innovationsgruppe – zwei Projekte.” BUA CORE Elevator Pitch, February 2.
2023
Kip, Miriam, and Fabian Hempel. 2023. “From Theory to Practice – Implementing Responsible Research Assessments & Open Science Incentives.” BIH Breakfast Seminar, November 17.
Hempel, Fabian. 2023. “Matters of Research Assessment and its Implementation - Part: Implementation.” Abschlussworkshop BUA Open Science Dashboards. Berlin, November 9.
Panels
Events and Workshops
Kip, Miriam, et al. 2024. “Virtual Brainstorm” to Develop the “Action Plan” for the Implementation of the CoARA Principles on Research Assessment Reforms at Charité and BIH. February 19–20.
Tools
Media