SciLifeLab Forms CoARA Working Group and Joins National Chapter
In February 2024, SciLifeLab joined the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA) as a member and signatory, committing to contribute to improve research assessment practices both on a national, and international level. During the Spring, the SciLifeLab CoARA Working Group was formed. It brings together a range of experts from across the SciLifeLab community that will focus on the organisation’ s research assessment practices. Additionally, SciLifeLab has become part of the Swedish National Chapter of CoARA, strengthening the commitment to improving research assessment in Sweden.
Starting this Autumn, the discuss how to approach the CoARA initiative according to SciLifeLab’s context. The Working Group will then start to develop SciLifeLab´s action plan, in line with the Coalition’s goals. This work will begin in 2024 and continue in 2025. In brief, the SciLifeLab CoARA Action Plan will focus on key issues such as enhancing data and software sharing and Open Science practices in the organization and the wider research community.
“Forming of the SciLifeLab CoARA Working Group is a major milestone for us. Moving forward, the insights and expertise of the Working Group will be incredibly valuable in developing strong guidelines and practices related to Open Science. We´ve also had our first meetings with representatives from various universities within the CoARA community, aiming to establish collaborations on research assessment. In mid June SciLifeLab will also attend the virtual CoARA General Assembly for the first time,” says Chris Erdmann, Head of Open Science.
The newly formed Working Group, chaired by Chris Erdmann, Head of Open Science and co-chaired by Katarina Öjefors Stark, SciLifeLab Data Centre includes the following members: Wei Ouyang (DDLS fellow), Laura Carroll (DDLS fellow), Erdinc Sezgin (SciLifeLab fellow), Annika Jenmalm Jensen (Infrastructure Director SciLifeLab), Jessica Lindvall (Head of Training, SciLifeLab Training Hub), Niclas Jareborg (Data Manager, NBIS), Ulrika Wallenquist (Project Coordinator SciLifeLab), Aristidis Moustakas (MG), and Joanna Sendecka (Data Steward at SciLifeLab Data Centre).
“During the last decade we have established infrastructure and policies to support and demand better data management practices for Open Science and FAIR by researchers. What has been lagging behind are the incentives for researchers to apply the practices and adhere to the policies, so I’m really happy that SciLifeLab will engage in the CoARA initiative to start tackling this issue,” says Niclas Jareborg, Data Manager at NBIS and member of the CoARA working group.
SciLifeLab has also recently joined the Swedish National Chapter (NC) of CoARA, which is headed by Jan-Ingvar Jönsson, Vice-Chancellor, Linköping University. CoARA National Chapters play a central role in supporting the CoARA members in the national and regional implementation of the Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment. While, the primary function of NCs is to facilitate mutual learning, and discussions related to research assessment, it also allows any for discussions about Open Science in general. By joining the efforts of the Swedish NC, the SciLifeLab community will benefit, and have a positive impact on the broader Swedish scientific community.
CoARA, launched in 2022 by the EU Commission, Science Europe, and the European University Association (EUA) is a global initiative. Its aim is to improve the fairness, effectiveness, and impact of research by building consensus on research assessments. To-date, over 600 organizations, including many Swedish universities, funders, and research institutes, are part of this coalition.
