Updated 31 March 2025

The “Responsible Metrics and Indicators” Working Group has been working on two main fronts. After a period of intense testing, we have finalised a questionnaire on the current usage of metrics and indicators, which we’re planning to release during the first week of April. The questionnaire will be distributed within CoARA and, in a following phase, more broadly, and will give us a good snapshot of current practices.

Along with the questionnaire, we have been working on the preparation of a recommendation document. In this document, we outline ways in which metrics and indicators can be used responsibly, very well in line with CoARA’s approach and guidelines. We also appraise and suggest ways in which metrics and indicators complement qualitative assessment, particularly in scenarios where a purely qualitative approach is hardly viable (e.g., countrywide assessment exercises).

The questionnaire will launch in the first week of April, stay tuned for more updates!

Want to become a member of the RMI WG? 

• Members of the WG are CoARA members (i.e., institutions), represented by a concrete person. 
• Experts of the WG are individual persons who are experts in the field, but are not officially representing a CoARA member. The WG can (proactively) contact them for consultation. 
• Friends of the WG are generally interested persons who want to simply stay informed. 

Get in touch: Github. There you can find all contacts and instructions on how to join or contribute to the working group.

The WG has three objectives, tackled in three stages (Oct. 23 – Sept. 25):

• Stage 1: Assessing the status quo: Which indicators are currently employed?
  We investigate this across varied disciplines and cultural contexts, specifically in the evaluation of researchers, awards, institutional assessments, and the progression of scientific advancement (like tenure, PhD, habilitation, professor titles, etc.). Starting with CoARA members, institutions are asked to provide information on their current usage of indicators via a structured survey.
• Stage 2: Critical evaluation of the indicators and recommendations. Based on the survey results, we develop guiding questions and recommendations (2a) when to use indicators (and when not),and (2b) how to integrate their usage with qualitative modes of assessment. This could be a decision path diagram, and will not be a “one size fits all” recommendation.
• Stage 3: Strategic plan for dissemination of recommendations. Share findings, strategies, and recommendations with a wider audience, emphasizing their applicability across disciplines and cultures.

Current status of the WG

• Indicator survey in preparation  
• Landing page: https://github.com/rachelHey/metricsWG 

Next steps 

• April 2024 – distribution of the Indicator Survey among all members of the RMI WG 
• Autumn 2024 – distribution of the Indicator Survey among all members of CoARA 

Planned meetings, deliverables 

• General meeting on Monday, 2023-12-18; then quarterly meetings