CoARA @ Charité and 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 bimonthly on Mondays at 12 pm (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
Kimberly Mason. M.A. is the equal opportunity and diversity officer at the Cluster of Excellence NeuroCure at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany. She coordinates the Cluster’s efforts to recruit more women and underrepresented talent to the Berlin neuroscience community, to retain them in science, and to empower their career development. https://neurocure.de/ https://neurocure.de/equity-diversity-and-inclusion-770.html 
Karin Höhne is the head of the BIH's equal opportunity and diversity unit. She initiates and supports change processes in order to anchor equality at all levels, remove structural barriers for women and historically marginalized groups and provides targeted support for individuals. 
Katharina Grauel coordinates the career development at the Cluster of Excellence NeuroCure at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin. 
René Bernard, PhD. M.A. is the coordinator for the translational module Value and Open Science at the Cluster of Excellence NeuroCure at the Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin. He coordinates the Cluster’s efforts to make its research products open, reliable, robust and reproducible. René provides consultations on all Open Science matters and co-teaches the corresponding course ReproducibiliTeach and Write My Protocol. https://neurocure.de/ https://neurocure.de/research-start/translational-moduls/value-and-open-science-vos-module.html 
Dr. Miriam Kip is the Head of the Research Group "Incentives and Responsible Research Assessments" at the BIH QUEST Center, as well as the CoARA Representative for Charité and BIH.
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 chaired 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 focused 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 included 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, [email protected] - For information on how to participate in the various activities, write to [email protected].
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 Appointments Charité - an application and research assessment tool for appointments at Charité and BIH (pilot phase)
- MERIT Portal NeuroCure
- MERIT Portal Talent Academy Medical Faculty Tuebingen
- MERIT BIH Groups
- MERIT Application Builder
- 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
October 2025:
On 13–14 October 2025, the CoARA WG SAGA met in Barcelona for its second in-person meeting, followed by a hands-on workshop with professionals actively engaged in institutional research assessment. The first day was dedicated to a focused working session among members of the CoARA WG SAGA to advance an implementation guide for driving change in biomedical research assessment. On the second day, the WG organised a workshop entitled “Reforming research assessment in our institutions: struggles and dreams”, with IDIBAPS and EU-LIFE —both members of the WG— as hosts. It served as a participatory space for exchanging experiences, identifying enablers and challenges, and collectively co-creating a shared vision for the future of research assessment.
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 ([email protected]).
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
2026
- Rohmann, Jess. “Mind the Gap: AI in Publishing, A candid discussion around AI use in editorial processes”. Academic Publishing Europe (APE) Pre-Conference Workshop, Jan. 2026
- Workshop: Research Assessment and Monitoring at the Max Delbrück Center Berlin, 29 April 2026
- Robert Schulz, Carolyn Capelouto, Miriam Kip. “Matters of Research Assessment and its Implementation (MAI-I).” BUA Steering Committee Objective 3 Meeting, 9 June 2026.
- Kip, Miriam. “From Theory to Practice: Implementing Context-Sensitive Research Assessment Reforms.” The Many Faces of Research Assessment" - Università di Bologna, 26 June 2026
- Rohmann, Jess. “Better methods through better peer review: Perspectives from the Peerspectives program”. National Institute for Health and Care Research Group Conference, Sheffield, UK, June 2026
- Rohmann, Jess. Participant and Discussant, “Structural Threats to the Integrity of Science and Scholarship: The Proliferation of Paper Mills and AI” Hanover, Germany, 29–31 July 2026.
- Rohmann, Jess. BUA Objective 3: “Advancing Research Quality and Value” Talk and Discussion: How Can Organized Skepticism and GenAI-Enabled Science Co-Exist? July 2026
2025
- Kip, Miriam. Structured Narrative CVs in Life Sciences. Online Workshop, 17 January 2025
- Kip, Miriam. “Open MERIT- Providing infrastructure for open science and inclusivity in research assessment.” Italian Reproducibility Network IV Annual Congress, 13-14 February 2025
- Hempel, Fabian, Deborah Jachan, and Miriam Kip. “Matters of Research Assessment and Its Implementation (MAI) - Part: Implementation Status Quo.” Berlin University Alliance Objective 3 Workshop, 28 February 2025
- Kip, Miriam. “OPEN MERIT – CoARA Aligned Activities at Charité and BIH.” CoARA Coordinators Meeting at Berlin University Alliance, February 2025.
- Kip, Miriam. “Incentives and Research Assessment Reforms.” QUEST Pitch to the Institute of Computer-assisted Cardiovascular Medicine (Prof. Hennemuth), Deutsches Herzzentrum Berlin und Charité, 12 March 2025.
- Kip, Miriam. “Efforts to undermine DEI in Science and HEI – how to respond to it effectively?” DRIVERS – Journal Club for Diversity and Responsible Research and Innovation, 3 March 2025.
- Kip, Miriam and Jess Rohmann. Participation in the roundtable “Reproducibility in Research Assessment: Shaping Transparent and Measurable Health Research.” 4th Helmholtz Reproducibility Workshop, 25 March 2025.
- Kip, Miriam, Carolyn Capelouto. “Incentives and Responsible Research Assessment.” QUEST Pitch to the Advanced Regenerative Immunotherapies Group (Dr. Schmück-Henneresse), BIH Center for Regenerative Therapies (BCRT), 14 May 2025.
- Kip, Miriam. AWMF Kommission Qualitätsentwicklung in Forschung und Lehre, 15 May 2025
- Kip, Miriam. Presentation at Leibniz-Strategieforum Research Assessment, 16 June 2025
- Major, Sebastian, Julieta Arancio, Miriam Kip. Advancing Research Assessment Through Knowledge-Based Infrastructure: Lessons from MERIT Project. Open Science Fair, CERN, Geneva, Switzerland. 15-17 September, 2025.
- Schulz, Robert, Fabian Hempel, Deborah Jachan, Carolyn Capelouto, Maria Arroyo Araujo, Miriam Kip. “Overcoming resistance: addressing 10 common objections to research assessment reforms” Workshop at Responsible Research in Action Unconference, 22-24 September, 2025.
- Schulz, Robert, Fabian Hempel, Andreas Müller, Miriam Kip. “Matters of Research Assessment and its Implementation: Interim results of an interview study with decision makers in administration and governance (A&G) of professorial appointments at the Berlin University Alliance (BUA) and the Berlin Senate.”Poster presentation at BIH Scientific Symposium, 9 October 2025
- Kip, Miriam, Sebastian Major. “MERIT BIH Groups – Institutionalizing Fair and Robust Research Assessment of Research Groups through Infrastructure.” Presentation at CoARA National Chapter, 10 October 2025
- Major, Sebastian. Klausurtagung der Fakultätsleitung; Medizinsche Fakultät Universität Bielefeld, 14 November 2025.
- Kip, Miriam. “Incentives and Research Assessment Reforms.” QUEST Pitch to the Sittinger Lab, Medical Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin. 2025.
- Rohmann, Jess. Moderator, Oxford-style debate: “Should we Publish in Academic Journals?” Berlin Science Week, November 2025.
- Chan TT, Pulverer B, Rooryck J, CoARA Working Group on Recognizing and Rewarding Peer Review (Contributor: Rohmann JL). Recognizing and Rewarding Peer Review of scholarly articles, books, and funding proposals: Recommendations by the CoARA Working Group on Recognizing and Rewarding Peer Review. Zenodo. 2025.
2024
- Rohmann, Jess. “Perspectives from the Peerspectives Project: Peer-Review as a Vehicle to Explore the Scientific Publishing Landscape, Improve Quality, and Strengthen Methods Competencies.” METRICS International Forum, Stanford, 22 February 2024.
- Fabian Hempel, Deborah Jachan, Sebastian Major, Carolyn Capelouto, Julieta Arancia, Miriam Kip. “From Theory to Practice – Implementing Best Practice in Research Assessment Systems through Infrastructure.” QUEST Seminar on Responsible Research, 19 November 2024.
- Kip, Miriam. “CoARA at Charité and BIH.” Presentation at Research Commission, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 18 January 2024.
- BIH Indicator Working Group. 2024–2025. Repeated faculty meetings. Led by Prof. Duda, Prof. Baum, and Dr. Kathrin Haubold. Berlin Institute of Health.
- Kip, Miriam. “From Theory to Practice – Implementing Best Practice in Research Assessment Systems through Infrastructure.” Lunch Talk – BUA Open Science Ambassador Meeting, 22 November 2024.
- Kip, Miriam. “Incentives and Research Assessment Reforms.” QUEST Pitch to Adrien Guillot’s Working Group, Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin. 2024.
- Kip, Miriam, and Ulrich Dirnagl. “Research Assessment Reforms – From Theory to Practice: MERIT Portal for Professorial Appointments at Charité.” CoARA National Chapter Germany Public Meeting, Bonn, 8 October 2024.
- CERN-NASA Working Group “Incentives for Open Scholarship.” ARCHIVE – Changing Research Incentives in Practice: Lessons from Institutional Experiments. 2024.
- Kip, Miriam. “Good Assessment Practice and CoARA.” Presentation to representatives of the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centers. 2024.
- Kip, Miriam and Ludmila Litvin. “Advancing Research Assessment.” Poster presentation at STEM Passion – Women in Science Exhibition at the Rahel Hirsch Center, BIH. 2024.
- Kip, Miriam. “Incentives and Research Assessment Reforms.” QUEST Pitch to the Center for Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine (CC7), Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin. 2024.
- Kip, Miriam. “From Theory to Practice – Impulse Forschungsbewertung.” Presentation at Charité BIH Innovation Workshop, 10 October 2024.
- Kip, Miriam. “Open Science Incentives and Research Assessment Reforms.” Berlin|Oxford Summer School, 13 September 2024.
- Kip, Miriam, and Fabian Hempel. “From Theory to Practice – Implementing Responsible Research Assessments & Open Science Incentives. Introductory Notes 2023–2024.”
- Kip, Miriam. “From Theory to Practice – Advancing Research Assessment for Incentives at Charité and BIH through Infrastructure.” Frühjahrstreffen FG Datenbanken, Jena, March 2024.
- Kip, Miriam, Fabian Hempel, Lise Mohawad, and Cornelia Schendzielorz. “Matters of Research Assessment and its Implementation (MAI) Eine Innovationsgruppe – zwei Projekte.” BUA CORE Elevator Pitch, 2 February 2024.
- Arancio, Julieta, Sebastian Major, and Deborah Jachan. “Structured, Narrative CV.” Workshop at the Berlin|Oxford Summer School,12 September 2024.
- Kip, Miriam, et al. CoARA Working Group SAGA: Presentations of the Virtual Brainstorming Event. Organized by the working group “Supporting the Alignment of Research Assessment Systems with COARA in Biomedical Disciplines through Administrative Reforms and Governance (SAGA),” 16-17 May 2024.
- Rohmann, Jess. “Evaluating Researchers: Ambitions and Realities.” Berlin Science Week Panel Discussion, Panel chair, November 2024. https://www.youtube.com/live/mX31So5r2T8
2023
- Kip, Miriam, and Fabian Hempel. “From Theory to Practice – Implementing Responsible Research Assessments & Open Science Incentives.” BIH Breakfast Seminar, 17 November 2023.
- Kip, Miriam. “CoARA Working Group.” Presentation to EUHA Research Leads Network (RLN), 26 September 2023.
- Hempel, Fabian. “Matters of Research Assessment and its Implementation - Part: Implementation.” Abschlussworkshop BUA Open Science Dashboards. Berlin, 9 November 2023.
- Hempel, Fabian, Miriam Kip, Lise Moawad, and Cornelia Schendzielorz. “Matters of Research Assessment and its Implementation.” Presentation at the colloquium of the BUA Objective 3, 27 September 2023.
- Hempel, Fabian. “Implementing Responsible Research Assessments for Appointments at the BUA – No Chance without Collaborations.” BIH Scientific Symposium 2023 "Sparking Collaborations in Health Research", 28 September 2023.
- Kip, Miriam. “Reformen in der Forschungsbewertung - Herausforderungen und Chancen für das Berufungsmanagement.” Workshop at the 4. Netzwerktagung Berufungsmanagement, Universität Hamburg. 2023.
- Kip, Miriam. “Nachwuchsförderung im Wissenschaftsbetrieb.” Interview at Soup & Science: Simply the Best, RBB 24 Inforadio, 23 November 2023.
- Genderjahn S, Bertelmann R, Ferguson LM, Graf zu Castell-Rüdenhausen W, Dransch D, Juckeland G, Kiesselbach M, Köhler M, Rank S, Rohmann JL, Upmeier A, Wiesenfeldt S. Helmholtz Open Science Forum “Research Evaluation, Reputation Systems, and Openness”. Helmholtz Open Science Briefing. 2023.