By Giovanna Lima, Program Manager, DORA

As the global conversation on research assessment reform gains momentum, DORA continues to provide practical tools, foster collaboration, and build capacity for change. Here’s what we’ve been working on and what’s coming next. Follow us on LinkedIn or BlueSky or subscribe to our newsletter on our website for updates!

1. Introductory Course on RRA

What does it mean to assess research responsibly? Why does it matter - and how can you make a difference? To help answer these questions, DORA is launching a self-paced online course in early 2026: the Introductory Course on Responsible Research Assessment. This course is designed to empower anyone, regardless of career stage or discipline, to challenge outdated assumptions about research quality and impact, and to explore practical ways to improve evaluation practices.

Traditional research assessment often relies on narrow metrics like journal impact factors and citation counts. These approaches can distort incentives, overlook diverse contributions, and undermine research culture. Responsible Research Assessment (RRA) offers a better way forward—one that values transparency, inclusivity, and real-world impact. Our course provides the foundational knowledge and tools you need to understand RRA and apply it in your context.

The course is structured into four core lessons, each designed to be concise, practical, and easy to navigate. The course includes a glossary of key terms, an annotated bibliography for deeper learning, and reflective questions and quizzes to reinforce understanding. We’ll also share lesson guides and slide decks for each module, to help make it easy to incorporate RRA into your  workshops, presentations, or training sessions. The course will go live in early 2026. 

2. Practical Guides for Funders and RPOs

Research funders play a pivotal role in shaping the culture of research. Their policies and practices influence what gets valued, rewarded, and ultimately pursued. By setting expectations for grant applications, review processes, and reporting requirements, they can drive systemic change toward more transparent, inclusive, and impactful research cultures. As the global movement for responsible research assessment (RRA) gains momentum, DORA is working in collaboration with the Global Research Council RRA Working Group and Science Europe and with funders worldwide to create a resource that helps them embed RRA principles into their operations.

The new guide is designed as a flexible, action-oriented resource to support funders at any stage of their journey—from exploring the value of RRA to implementing context-sensitive interventions. It will include:

• Practical tools for embedding RRA in funding processes 
• Curated case studies from funders worldwide
• "Things to think About" prompts to guide decision-making 
• Connections to global initiatives on open science, research integrity, and societal impact

The final co-creation session will be a co-creation workshop as a side event of the CeRRA Conference in Copenhagen on December 02. The Guide builds on a previous sister volume aimed towards research performing organizations, available here: https://sfdora.org/resource/practical-guide/. 

The guide is scheduled for launch in May 2026, and we hope you will join us in these conversations! 

3. Steering Committee Call

In October, we launched a global call for new Steering Committee members, and the response was overwhelming! Over 200 individuals from over 70 countries across the world applied. This level of engagement reflects the growing momentum for responsible research assessment and DORA’s role as a global, community-owned initiative.

The Steering Committee plays a vital role in guiding DORA’s strategy and supporting our mission to improve research assessment practices worldwide. We are currently reviewing applications and will announce the new Steering Committee in January 2026.

Thank you to everyone who shared the call and those who applied! We’re excited to work together to shape the future of research assessment. Together, we can build a research culture that values quality, transparency, and inclusivity.

For more information or to express interest, please contact: info@sfdora.org