Research Assessment

As a publicly funded university, the University of Fribourg (Unifr) is committed to research that advances knowledge and benefits society. Research assessment supports this goal when it is conducted responsibly. Evaluation methods must be adapted to what is being assessed and to the level of evaluation (institutional or individual).

• Unifr’s approach

  At Unifr, individual researchers are assessed in various contexts, such as internal funding decisions or recruitment procedures. Faculties and departments retain a high degree of autonomy, based on the principle that research communities are best placed to assess their peers. At the same time, Unifr is committed to aligning its practices with international best standards and current research on research assessment.

• International commitments: DORA and CoARA

  Unifr is a signatory of the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA) and, since 2022, a member of the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA). These initiatives promote the assessment of research based on quality rather than quantity and discourage the inappropriate use of metrics such as Journal Impact Factors or the H-index.

  CoARA further emphasises:

  • Recognition of diverse research contributions and career paths

  • Respect for disciplinary diversity

  • Reduced reliance on rankings in individual assessment

  • Integration of Open Science practices

  • Commitment to quality, impact, inclusiveness, and collaboration

  CoARA also respects institutional autonomy, allowing each organisation to define its own path toward responsible research assessment.

• Implementation at Unifr

  Unifr has published its CoARA Action Plan. A dedicated CoARA Working Group—bringing together researchers from all faculties and representatives of key central services—has been established to design and implement this plan over the coming years.