Category: REALISE

Building evidence for research assessment reform: Pensoft joins the new Horizon Europe project REALISE

As part of the REALISE consortium, Pensoft contributes to the project with services and know-how in scholarly publishing and project branding

Pensoft is taking part in the newly launched EU-funded project REALISE (Responsible Evaluation and Assessment Leading to Inclusive Scholarly Excellence), as a leader of Work Package 2: Communication, Dissemination and Exploitation of project progress and results.   

REALISE focuses on building evidence for research assessment reform to ultimately develop pathways across the European Research Area to more inclusive and reasonable practices. 

The Project

REALISE is dedicated to leading the way in research assessment reform by delivering evidence-based insights and actionable guidance. 

The project has outlined several objectives to reach its goals, including: 

  1. Creating a knowledge base of synthesised evidence: REALISE is to combine cutting-edge evidence and framework conditions for the practical application of valid and thorough research assessment reform. 
  2. Investigating novel assessment tools and methods: the consortium is to conduct research activities to explore a broader range of new tools and methods for research assessment.
  3. Investigating novel reform methods: the project is to carry out research activities to analyse new approaches, based on both theory and methods, to reform, institutional changes and culture.
  4. Reflect and recommend: the consortium is to combine project findings and co-create a coherent roadmap for future developments.
  5. Exchange, engage and valorise: REALISE is to co-create studies to explore new research assessment tools and methods.

The goals are aligned with the European Commission’s vision and recommendation for an extensive set of innovations and metrics to modernise research assessment.   

Pensoft’s role in REALISE

As the leader of Work Package 2, Pensoft will reinforce the project’s visibility and long-term impact. Key activities under this work package include:

  1. Unique brand identity: Pensoft will create a distinctive and recognisable visual identity for the project, including a logo, brand manual, promotional materials and a website to serve as a hub for project updates and content. 
  2. Social media: To ensure community engagement and visibility, Pensoft will create and manage the project’s social media profiles, fostering an active and inclusive social media presence.
  3. Communication, dissemination and exploitation plan: Pensoft will prepare a plan for sharing project updates and results with key audiences and stakeholders. The plan will be implemented in the early stages of the project. 
  4. Stakeholder mapping and engagement: Pensoft will contribute to the in-depth stakeholder analysis led by the coordinating institution.

The listed efforts, and more, aim to ensure that project results are widely accessible and reusable by all relevant and targeted groups within and beyond the research community. 

International Consortium 

REALISE brings together nine institutions across eight European countries operating in various sectors: 

  1. Know Center (KNOW), coordinator – Austria
  2. The University of Leiden (ULEI) – Netherlands
  3. Radboud University (SRU) – Netherlands 
  4. The University of Edinburgh (UEDIN) – United Kingdom
  5. Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)/Ingenio (CSIC-UPV) – Spain
  6. University of Coimbra (UCOIMBRA) – Portugal
  7. Federation of Finnish Learned Societies (TSV) – Finland
  8. SWPS University (SWPS  UNIVERSITY) – Poland
  9. Pensoft Publishers(PENSOFT) – Bulgaria

Together, the consortium is dedicated to providing evidence for research assessment reforms and developing pathways to more inclusive and responsible practices in research assessment. 

Over the next few months, REALISE will focus on providing an ambitious research agenda dedicated to creating a systematic evidence base for research assessment reform, leveraging strong existing links to key initiatives. 

Visit the REALISE project’s website and follow the project on BlueSky and LinkedIn to stay connected and follow the project’s progress.