Page 3 of 23

Posted on

Rewarding teaching in academic careers – Mapping the global movement for change

Recent decades have seen growing calls to reform the criteria underpinning academic career progression, with concerns raised about the undervaluation of university teaching in appointment and promotion processes. A global shift is now underway, as pioneering research-intensive universities rethink how they reward teaching in academic careers and introduce initiatives that could redefine how teaching is supported and recognised across the sector.

The Global Mapping report explores the evolving landscape of how university teaching is supported, evaluated and rewarded within academic careers across the higher education sector. It is structured in two sections: Section A maps the global movement for change and identifies the front-runner universities; and Section B explores how these leading universities are addressing key barriers to change.

The report draws on interviews with over 130 leaders and change-makers from 26 countries who are actively engaged in reshaping reward systems in their university/region. The study was undertaken between October 2023 and November 2024, and the findings made available as an open-source report in January 2025.

 Read the report and summary

Advancing Teaching Network, dr. Ruth Graham.

Review by programme manager Kim Huijpen

This is an amazing report by Ruth Graham. I think it is a must-read for everyone working on Recognition & Rewards, academic careers, or career assessment in academia. Ruth Graham interviewed 131 leaders and change-makers from around the world, all engaged in improving the systems of evaluation, support, and reward for university teaching. The report includes some very interesting examples of institutions with extensive experience in assessing the teaching competencies of academics.
From this report, I’ve learned that some universities have adopted institution-wide standards for university teaching to underpin processes such as performance reviews, professional development, and promotions. These consistent standards align expectations in education and enable academics to better plan and track their career progression. Particularly noteworthy examples can be found on pages 20 and 21.

The report also highlights the crucial role of external peer review in providing independent, evidence-based assessments of a candidate’s impact on university teaching, based on an agreed set of standards. These assessments may include candidate interviews or in-class observations. However, most examples cited by interviewees focus on the evaluation of candidates’ written submissions and/or their ‘teaching portfolios,’ mirroring the peer review process for academic research.

Notably, several universities embed external peer review of university teaching into their assessment of candidates for appointment or promotion. For example, the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden require at least one external ‘pedagogical expert’ to review candidates’ teaching portfolios during all academic appointments and promotions. Another compelling Swedish example is Lund University, which has introduced an institution-wide framework to support and reward continuous development in university teaching throughout academic careers. This is definitely a model we should closely look at in the Netherlands.

Even further afield, there are very inspiring examples from Australia. I’d like to learn more about the Australian University Teaching Criteria and Standards and the Educational Leadership Mapping (ELM) tool developed by the The University of British Columbia. This is a resource designed to help academics plot their educational leadership activities.

Of course, I am also very proud of the many Dutch universities that shine in this report. However, what I find especially important for the Netherlands is recognizing how the frameworks and practices developed elsewhere in the world can serve as a great source of inspiration.

Congratulations to Ruth Graham for compiling this outstanding resource!

Posted on

Knowledge institutions take action on open science in recruitment and promotion policies

23 Dutch knowledge institutions are taking steps to recognise and reward open science. On 13 December, the Open Science NL Steering Board approved a total of 1.2 million euros in grants. This funding enables the institutions to structurally embed open science into the recruitment and promotion of their staff.

This effort is much needed, as researchers and professional research support staff are increasingly committed to open science but are not yet consistently rewarded for their contributions. There is broad consensus that the transition to open science should not rely solely on the motivation of individual researchers; it must become an integral part of institutional policy, including recruitment and promotion policies. Valuing open science practices is also a priority for the national Recognition & Rewards programme.

In June 2024, Open Science NL launched a grant round aimed at 24 Dutch research-performing organisations, all affiliated with the national Recognition & Rewards programme. The organisations whose proposals were approved will each receive up to 50,000 euros to develop and implement plans next year to integrate the recognition and rewarding of open science into their HR policies for recruitment and promotion. Additionally, a project proposal for the national coordination of the local projects has been awarded funding.

Awarded grants

The following institutions received grants to further develop plans for recognising and rewarding open science:

  • Open University
  • University of Groningen
  • University Medical Center Utrecht
  • Wageningen University & Research
  • Delft  University of technology
  • Erasmus University Rotterdam
  • Leiden University Medical Center
  • Leiden  University
  • Maastricht University
  • Protestant Theological University
  • NWO-I
  • University of Amsterdam
  • Erasmus University Medical Center
  • Utrecht University
  • University of Twente
  • Tilburg University
  • KNAW
  • University Medical Center Groningen
  • Radboud University Medical Center
  • Eindhoven University of technology
  • Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
  • Radboud University Nijmegen
  • Amsterdam UMC
  • National coordination: Universiteit Leiden / CWTS

Crucial for open science

Mariëlle Prevoo is Department manager Research Support & Development and Chief Open Science (UM) and together with her team applied for a grant. She highlights the importance of this programme: ‘We see recognising and rewarding open science as a crucial component of the UM Open Science policy. If open science activities are not recognised and valued, open science can never become the norm.’

According to Prevoo, the greatest challenge lies in getting the entire academic community on board: ‘Both the individual being evaluated and the evaluator must be able to appreciate the value of open science activities.’ To address this, UM will develop a train-the-trainer programme to ensure that all supervisors of scientists in the organisation acquire the necessary background knowledge. Prevoo explains that UM focuses on two key points in the project: improving the registration of open science activities, so they can form part of an evidence-based narrative CV, and training supervisors.

The University of Twente (UT) also receives a grant. Project leader Florian Schuberth explains why the project is significant: ‘To me, recognising and rewarding open science also means recognising and rewarding good research practices. For example, open science and scientific integrity are strongly interconnected: being open is frequently mentioned in the Netherlands Code of Conduct for Research. In light of current societal challenges and post-truth developments, I believe it is even more important that we train, recognise, and reward all university staff for their open science practices.’

Schuberth acknowledges that recognising and rewarding open science practices is not yet the norm: ‘This may be due to assessors’ lack of awareness of open science, uncertainty about how to reward such practices, or difficulties in formally recognising them within the current HR policy. We hope to address some of these barriers with the project we are launching with this grant.’

To achieve this, all stakeholders – academic staff, HR managers, and faculty committees – must align, Schuberth emphasises: ‘Furthermore, implementing revised HR policies will be another significant challenge. To tackle these challenges, we are developing an open science module in this project, which will be integrated into existing leadership training and briefings for HR staff and assessment committees. This module will introduce supervisors and committee members to OS and demonstrate how OS practices can be recognised and rewarded. I am really looking forward to working with a diverse team on this!’

National coordination and knowledge sharing

Inge van der Weijden from the Centre for Science and Technology Studies (CWTS) at Leiden University will lead the national coordination project. She emphasises the importance of collaboration: ‘For open science to be integrated into hiring and promotion policies, we must share best practices and align our approaches. This prevents duplication and, more importantly, gives the academic community clarity on career perspectives. Many members move between institutions, so this clarity is crucial. We will build on the solid foundation of the National Recognition and Rewards Programme to facilitate coordination.’

It is also important to align efforts in the Netherlands with international developments, van der Weijden adds. ‘Our initiatives must align with the latest advances in Europe and beyond. CWTS will collaborate with international projects like PathOS and GraspOS. We will also work closely with networks such as the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA). This way, we will not work in isolation.’

Creation of the call

The following people contributed to the creation and implementation of this call:

  • Marta Teperek, Hans de Jonge – call coordination, assessment of proposals
  • Jeroen Sondervan – assessment of proposals
  • Legal affairs NWO – legal advice  
  • Process & Quality NWO – process and quality advice
  • Juan de Weger – business control
  • Titia Terhell – project control
  • Mark van Assem – internal process advice
  • Mirjam Teunissen – call setup
  • Jeroen Scharroo – communication
  • Alicia Dekker – layout and web editing
  • Carmen van Meerkerk, Suzy Ronokaryo – web editing  
  • Loes Buitendijk, Rudina Ismaili – administrative support
  • Kim Huijpen and members of the national Recognition & Rewards programme – advice on call design

17 december 2024

Source: https://www.openscience.nl/en/news/knowledge-institutions-take-action-on-open-science-in-recruitment-and-promotion-policies

Posted on

CoARA – A Dutch National Chapter in the Making

In 2022, Dutch universities and UMCs, together with the KNAW, NWO, and ZonMw, were among the first to sign the Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment (ARRA). This was hardly surprising, as the agreement aligns seamlessly with the goals of the Recognition & Rewards programme. For instance, ARRA advocates for the use of qualitative assessment criteria and the recognition of the diverse contributions of researchers.

Our universities and funding bodies were not only early signatories but also among the first members of the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA), a network established to support the ARRA agreement. Over the past two years, CoARA has grown from a small group of enthusiasts into a large international network of reformers, boasting over 700 members from Andorra to Zimbabwe.

Despite the strong Dutch involvement, the Netherlands still lacks a so-called National Chapter. A National Chapter is a local CoARA branch that helps members implement the goals of the Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment in their own country or region. This is particularly valuable because it allows us to amplify our voice within CoARA. Additionally, a National Chapter can share members’ experiences on an international stage during CoARA meetings. To date, 16 countries have established National Chapters, and CoARA regularly organises events for these chapters to exchange insights and experiences.

It is high time, therefore, for a Dutch National Chapter. This would enable us to participate in CoARA more cohesively, learn more effectively from other countries, and better share the lessons from our Recognition & Rewards efforts with the rest of the world. This is a crucial step, especially given concerns about the impact of Recognition & Rewards on the international mobility of researchers. CoARA demonstrates that the philosophy of Recognition & Rewards resonates internationally.

In recent months, we have been working hard behind the scenes to establish a Dutch National Chapter. The boards of NWO, ZonMw, the KNAW, and the Dutch universities have now approved its creation. We are currently awaiting final approvals before submitting an official request to CoARA. Hopefully, we will be able to share the exciting news early next year: the launch of our very own National Chapter!

Posted on

New Steering Board for CoARA

On the 9th of December, 2024, representatives from CoARA member organisations joined together online for the CoARA General Assembly meeting. Coalition members came together to reflect on the year’s achievements and to create a shared vision with the CoARA community looking ahead to 2025 with the election of a new CoARA Chair and 7 Steering Board members, including Vice-Chair.

During the meeting, quorum was reached with fifty-six percent voter participation upon the closing of the vote to conclude the Steering Board elections on the 9th of December 2024 at 12h40 CET.

The new composition of the CoARA Steering Board:

Role in CoARA Steering Board Name Organisation Country
CoARA Chair Professor Henk Kummeling Utretch University The Netherlands
Vice-Chair (re-elected) Dr. Karen Stroobants Marie Curie Alumni Association United Kingdom
Vice-Chair Dr. Elizabeth Gadd* International Network of Research Management Societies (INORMS) United Kingdom
Steering Board member Prof. Marcin Palys European University Association (EUA) Poland
Steering Board member Dr. Irene Ramos-Vielba Spanish National Agency for Quality Assessment and Accreditation (ANECA) Spain
Steering Board member Dr. Gabi Lombardo European Alliance for SSH Italy
Steering Board member Prof. Cameron Neylon Cutin University Australia
Steering Board member M. Hans de Jonge NWO Dutch Research Council The Netherlands
Steering Board member Prof. Stanislaw Kistryn Jagiellonian University Poland
Steering Board M. Janne Pölönen* Federation of Finnish Learned Societies Finland
Steering Board Dr. Luciana Balboa* Global Young Academy Argentina

*Steering Board members who continue on their terms and were not up for election this year

Prof. Henk Kummeling, who has served as Rector Magnificus of Utrecht University since 2018 and is a member of Coimbra Group, replaces the first acting CoARA Chair, Prof. Rianne Letschert, as the new CoARA Chair.

Dr. Karen Stroobants was re-elected as Vice-Chair, to serve alongside current Vice-Chair, Elizabeth Gadd. Six newly elected Steering Board members join current Steering Board members, M. Janne Pölönen and Dr. Luciana Balboa. Newly elected members include, Dr. Gabi Lombardo, Prof. Stanisław Kistryn, Prof. Marcin Palys, Dr. Irene Ramos-Vielba, Prof. Cameron Neylon, and M. Hans de Jonge. To ensure a diverse selection of candidates, balancing mechanisms were implemented as criteria for the election, in terms of types of organisations represented, geographic coverage, gender, and diversity of disciplines and expertise.

A diverse Steering Board indeed makes better decisions for a diverse community. There is great value in having expert voices in the CoARA governance who share insights from the study of research assessment practices as well as having those leaders on board who are in the position to drive change in research assessment in their organisations – and are committed to shape the reform both in their organisations as exemplary instances and on the level of a global coalition.  – Professor Rianne Letschert

—

From the Dutch Recognition & Rewards programme we congratulate the new CoARA (Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment) Steering Board members!  A special congratulations to Henk Kummeling, elected as chair, and Hans de Jonge, elected as a new steering board member. We are delighted to see these leaders step into such pivotal roles together with well-regarded leaders from other countries. It is good to see the diversity in backgrounds in the new CoARA  Steering Board.

CoARA will also say goodbye to Rianne Letschert. We wish to offer her a heartfelt thank you for her impactful leadership as chair over the past two years. In this role, she has been a dedicated ambassador for changing assessment in academia, championing the vision of the Recognition & Rewards programme on an international stage.

We look forward to collaborating with the new Steering Board and supporting their efforts in the coming years!

—-

The General Assembly meeting of December 9th reflects the evolution of CoARA over the past two years, as captured in a statement by Professor Rianne Letschert,

During my time as Chair, CoARA has grown and evolved as a community. As Working Groups and National Chapters have created established communities of practices and the coalition now surpasses 700 members, CoARA has laid the groundwork for advancing more inclusive and effective research assessment practices. I am honoured to have been the first CoARA Chair to see the community through its foundational stage of development and to support its evolution.

Looking forward to 2025, the Steering Board will be spearheaded by the newly elected Chair, Prof. Henk Kummeling, who will continue to shape the evolution of CoARA as memberships and outputs advance.

I am grateful for the opportunity to serve as Chair of CoARA during this pivotal phase in the Coalition’s development.  With CoARA’s communities now established, we will build upon solid foundations to ensure the future prosperity and sustainability of CoARA. Leveraging my experience in both research and leadership of knowledge institutions, I am committed to supporting the vision of CoARA and its growing communities by driving actionable change. – Professor Henk Kummeling, CoARA Chair

Source: https://coara.eu/news/dec-2024-sb-election-ga/