The REALISE project has kicked off in Graz, Austria

In Europe and beyond, research assessment practices are in need of reform. Despite influential initiatives such as CoARA and DORA, progress towards more responsible and inclusive practices remains slow. This is partly because organisations, policymakers, and reform advocates lack evidence to guide their reform efforts. 

To tackle this challenge, a new Horizon Europe project was launched on 1 September 2026, called REALISE. Coordinated by the Know Center and involving nine institutions from across Europe, the REALISE project will work towards enhancing the current research assessment methods, laying the foundation for an assessment system that recognises a wider range of practices, outputs and behaviours, and rewards openness, collaboration and societal engagement. 

Early in October this year, REALISE’s consortium gathered for the project’s kick-off meeting in Graz, Austria. Partners spent two days filled with fruitful sessions and discussions, planning the next steps towards gathering evidence of what works in the current assessment methods, how they will test new tools and methods, and REALISE's approach to turning the findings into recommendations for specific stakeholder communities.  

Over its three-year duration, running from September 2026 to August 2029, REALISE aims to deliver the following: an online, AI-enabled platform that synthesises current knowledge on research assessment reform; new evidence on the efficacy and impact of different assessment tools and methods; a practical, validated framework to guide responsible assessment in institutions and systems at different stages of reform readiness; and recommendations for effective implementation.

Read more about REALISE in our press release and stay connected and up to date by following us on LinkedIn and BlueSky.