McMaster has signed the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA) as part of an institutional commitment to advance meaningful ways of recognizing and rewarding research contributions.
Since its development in 2012, DORA has become a global initiative involving funders, publishers, institutions and researchers across all scholarly fields. Its principles challenge signatories to rethink the tools, metrics and cultural assumptions that shape academic assessment.
McMaster is the first university in Ontario to sign DORA. To mark the occasion, McMaster welcomed Kelly Cobey, co-chair of DORA, to campus for a fireside chat with Sandra Lapointe, professor in the Department of Philosophy.
The two discussed practical ways DORA principles can be integrated into policy and practice, and the opportunities this creates for researchers, trainees and administrators.
Cobey, a McMaster graduate, is an associate professor in the School of Epidemiology and Public Health at the University of Ottawa.
“As research ecosystems change, there is a need to consider how our assessment practices should evolve to incorporate broader types of impact and indicators of research excellence beyond traditional metrics,” said Cobey.
She shared how DORA is focused on finding ways to support institutions as they implement and monitor research assessment reforms.
Lapointe emphasized the importance of co-creating research assessment practices with the institutions and researchers they serve.
“We need assessment frameworks that do justice to the diversity we see across disciplines – to ensure we measure research impact and contributions responsibly,” said Lapointe, who is also the Director of the Canadian Collaborative for Society, Innovation and Policy.
As outlined in McMaster’s Strategic Research Plan, becoming a DORA signatory reflects the university’s intention to better incentivize, track, assess and reward societal engagement and impact.
“McMaster is proud to sign DORA and is committed to advancing responsible, holistic and forward-looking approaches to research assessment,” said McMaster President Susan Tighe.
“Strengthening how we evaluate research will enhance our ability to attract top talent, mobilize new knowledge and secure our position as a trusted advisor to policymakers and decision makers.”
In the months ahead, McMaster will review its existing research assessment practices and explore opportunities to build on its culture of responsible research assessment across the University.
Read McMaster’s DORA statement.