FAQ for CoARA / ARRA

The Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment (ARRA) sets a shared direction for improving the assessment of research, researchers, and research-performing organisations. It calls for recognizing the full range of outputs, tasks, and activities that contribute to high-quality research. ARRA outlines a set of principles and commitments that signatory organisations agree to uphold. Read the full agreement here: 

Read the full agreement here.

CoARA membership is open to research-performing and research-funding organisations. More than 800 institutions have signed the agreement. In Denmark, signatories currently include universities, university colleges, and public and private research funding bodies. 

Find an up-to-date list of signatories here

If you have any questions or comments regarding Independent Research Fund Denmark’s work with ARRA, you are welcome to contact us at: arra@ufm.dk. 

Independent Research Fund Denmark has signed the agreement and co-initiated the establishment of the national CoARA network (National Chapter) together with the Villum Foundation and Aalborg University. Research is the foundation for preparing society for the future. There is a need for new approaches to complex scientific and societal challenges, and this requires that all relevant types of research talent are given the opportunity to contribute. It also requires a shared understanding among research actors of the value of recognising a broader range of research outputs. The agreement is broadly anchored and offers an opportunity to make a real difference for research and for researchers.

Independent Research Fund Denmark works to create the conditions needed to support excellent researchers at all career stages in Denmark and to ensure high academic standards in Danish research. Central to this work are research quality and the potential to generate new and groundbreaking knowledge. Achieving this requires that research funding supports a broad range of research types, research talents, and research outputs.

The fund’s assessment practices are an ongoing area of focus, and in recent years the fund has worked systematically to review and further develop its processes and practices, based on the agreement.

Work on the agreement within the fund will, among other things, lead to adjustments to assessment procedures, greater transparency in the fund’s work, and close dialogue with other actors in the research community in Denmark and internationally. Read the action plan outlining the initiatives Independent Research Fund Denmark has chosen to pursue here.

The issues raised by ARRA are persistent. Although many organisations are working towards reform, progress is gradual. As a public funding body, the fund has a particular responsibility to promote sound assessment practices to ensure that public investments in research yield the greatest possible benefit. There is a growing need for new approaches to complex scientific and societal challenges, and to ensure that research outputs are accessible, reusable, and reliable. At the same time, the complexity of research tasks has increased, making knowledge sharing, tool development, and openness to collaboration ever more important. The range of relevant research outputs has also become more diverse. In recent decades, there has been a marked increase in the use of quantitative metrics in research assessment. Overemphasis on publication-based metrics has had unintended consequences, incentivizing a focus on specific tasks or favoring certain types of researchers. There is, therefore, a need for systemic change. While the fund's assessment practices are already firmly grounded in qualitative evaluation, ARRA presents a valuable opportunity to conduct a thorough review of them.

The changes will affect how applications are written. The fund introduces new assessment criteria, new requirements for the project description, a revised CV publications list format, among others. These changes are intended to ensure that the fund’s reviewers have access to all information that may be relevant for assessing which projects are most deserving of funding, thereby supporting a broader evaluation of both the project and the applicant. Independent Research Fund Denmark will communicate any changes in connection with its calls for proposals on its website. The earliest expected implementation of new requirements is in 2026.

You can stay informed by subscribing to the fund’s newsletter or by contacting us at arra@ufm.dk.

Independent Research Fund Denmark will not make fundamental changes to the way applications are assessed, but the fund is working to adjust its processes to better align with the agreement. This will enable the fund to better take all relevant contributions to research into account in its assessments, thereby ensuring that investments in research have the greatest possible impact.

The fund will work towards formats and other elements that are more similar across funding bodies, although harmonisation is not the primary objective. Independent Research Fund Denmark is a co-initiator of the Danish CoARA network (National Chapter), which was established in December 2025. The purpose of the network is coordination, exchange of experience, and knowledge sharing related to efforts to reform research assessment.

You can stay updated through the fund’s newsletter or by contacting arra@ufm.dk.

The work on ARRA runs from 2024 through 2027. The fund is well underway, and decisions have been made on bias training programs, an openness policy, adjusted assessment criteria, and a new format for applicants’ CVs and publication lists. Changes to the fund’s assessment practices will be clearly communicated on the fund’s website, and any updated requirements – for example, for project descriptions, CVs, etc. – will always be stated in the relevant call. 

You are always welcome to send your input to: arra@ufm.dk. You are also encouraged to take your own initiative, such as organizing meetings, giving presentations, or sharing information about ARRA, especially if your institution is a signatory to the agreement.

The network provides a shared platform for dialogue, knowledge sharing, and exchange of experiences on reforming research assessment in a Danish context. It started as an informal network in 2024, initiated by Independent Research Fund Denmark in collaboration with the Villum Foundation and Aalborg University. Since then, the network has brought together a broad group of Danish public and private research organisations, meeting several times a year to discuss research assessment and share experiences in a Danish context.

The network became the Danish CoARA National Chapter in December 2025, with Aalborg University, the Villum Foundation, and Independent Research Fund Denmark serving as co-chairs. The focus is on learning and joint development rather than standardised solutions. The network can help ensure that any changes take place in collaboration and coordination among relevant actors. It also provides a valuable gateway for inspiration and cooperation with international research organisations working on research assessment.

Network meetings and activities within the chapter are open to interested actors – including organisations and institutions that have not yet joined CoARA or the Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment, but who are curious about the principles and wish to follow or contribute to the dialogue.

Currently, the network includes CoARA contact persons and other relevant administrative staff from Danish research-funding organisations, university colleges, universities, and other research organisations.  Most participants are universities and funding organisations, and the majority have either signed the ARRA or are actively considering it, however, it is not a requirement. The network is presently coordinated by Villum Foundation, Aalborg University, and Independent Research Fund Denmark. If you are interested in co-organizing events, giving a presentation, or suggesting topics for discussion, your input is very welcome. Please contact us at arra@ufm.dk.

Initially, organisations that have signed the agreement or have actively reached out were invited to participate. If you would like to learn more, please contact us at arra@ufm.dk. The network also welcomes suggestions for relevant topics or presentations from organisations not currently involved.

The purpose of developing a new CV format is to support a broader approach to research assessment. Independent Research Fund Denmark aims to recognize the many different tasks and roles that are relevant and essential to research. The most effective way to enable assessors to take this into account is to revise the structure of the information provided by applicants. A new CV format should give applicants the opportunity to better describe their specific contributions to research, as well as other research-relevant activities, so that these can be considered in the evaluation process.

There are indeed differences between the CV requirements of various funding organisations, and the fund is fully aware that introducing a new format may increase the workload for applicants. For this reason, the fund is committed to coordinating, as far as possible, with other funders. 

In 2025, the fund spent time developing its new CV format, drawing inspiration from other funding organisations, particularly the Villum Foundation and the ERC. The format has been discussed with the project’s reference group, the fund’s councils, the group of chairpersons, and the board. The new format includes some narrative elements. Applicants’ scientific achievements remain the main focus, but the new format allows applicants to better describe experiences that are relevant to their project and research profile, which previously would have been less visible in the assessment. The format will be introduced in 2026 and is mandatory for applicants (PI and co-PI). See the CV format here.

The aim of introducing a new format for publication lists is to support a broader approach to recognizing research and researchers. Independent Research Fund Denmark wishes to promote an assessment culture that reflects the fundamental values of science such as curiosity, inquiry, risk-taking, openness, transparency, inclusiveness, and reproducibility.

The pursuit of publication in high-impact journals can, in some cases, challenge the quality, relevance, risk tolerance, and diversity of research. A broader approach to research assessment means that traditional academic publications may not be the only relevant output when evaluating a researcher’s qualifications. The content and relevance of the work are more important than the quantity. Other types of research outputs, such as data, experiments, or communication activities aimed at audiences beyond academia, may also be relevant depending on the field. Therefore, it makes sense to allow applicants to include such outputs in their publication lists. See the publication list format here.

There are differences between publication list formats across funding bodies, and the fund is aware that a new format may create additional work for applicants. However, most funders already use some form of selective publication list. The fund’s intention is that any new format or elements of it should align with the formats used by other funders wherever possible.  The fund’s board has decided that with the introduction of the new CV and publication list format in 2026, no indicators other than citations may be included.

A quantitative indicator, often referred to as a metric or bibliometric indicator, provides numerical information at the journal or article level. This may include, for example, the number of publications or citations, sometimes combined with calculated impact. Examples include the Journal Impact Factor (JIF), which reflects a journal’s average number of citations over a two-year period, and the h-index, which combines productivity (number of publications) and impact (number of citations) into a single metric. For example, a researcher with an h-index of 6 has published 6 articles, each of which has been cited at least 6 times.

One concern is that the pursuit of publication in high-impact journals can compromise the quality, reliability, diversity, and relevance of research. In addition, a strong focus on publications may overshadow other valuable contributions and uses of research. There is a growing need for an assessment culture that supports the fundamental nature of science, which is curious, exploratory, risk-taking, open, transparent, inclusive, and reproducible.

Independent Research Fund Denmark does not use indicators systematically in its assessment work. The aim is not to make major changes, but to ensure that quantitative indicators are not used as a direct measure of quality or impact.

The fund has previously phased out the use of Journal Impact Factor, and in connection with the new CV and publication list format, the board has decided that no indicators other than citations may be included.

Because there is a need to recognize more aspects of a researcher’s work. Publication and peer review remain fundamental pillars of science and are sound mechanisms in their own right. However, what counts or should count as achievements in a researcher’s career has been a significant topic of international discussion over the past decade, and publishing is only one of many important tasks that researchers perform. Independent Research Fund Denmark does not use indicators systematically in its assessment work. The aim is not to introduce major changes, but to ensure that quantitative indicators are not used as a direct measure of quality or impact.

The fund has previously phased out the use of the Journal Impact Factor, and in connection with the new CV and publication list format, the board has decided that no indicators other than citations may be included.

The aim is not to change the fund’s assessment procedures for their own sake, but rather to review and analyze them. The purpose is to assess whether certain processes can be improved in light of the commitments made under the Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment (ARRA). Reviewing the Fund’s procedures is an ongoing task that will continue even after the implementation period for ARRA has ended.

One key goal is to make the application and assessment processes more transparent and clearer for applicants, not to make them more difficult. The fund will therefore work towards broader recognition of merit and will make systematic use of available knowledge on good assessment practices. It already takes significant time and effort to prepare an application for Independent Research Fund Denmark or other funders. If certain researchers or groups have previously opted out of applying, the Fund hopes to make it clear that it welcomes applications from researchers across all disciplines and regardless of the types of research activities they engage in.

In 2026, the fund introduced adjusted assessment criteria. All applications are evaluated according to the same four overarching categories: Potential for originality and breakthrough; Scientific approach and quality; Qualifications and organisation; and Research results and outputs. In addition, the research project must meet the purpose and requirements of the relevant funding instrument. When assessing applications, the fund places emphasis on meeting all criteria to the greatest extent possible, but the evaluation will always be based on an overall assessment of the application. Read the fund’s adjusted assessment criteria here.

The fund’s assessment practices must be of the highest possible quality. Decisions on funding are already made on a strong academic and professional basis. However, there is always room for improvement, particularly when it comes to reflecting critically on current practices. Training in bias awareness will help prepare both assessors and administrative staff for this. All members of the fund, including the board, research councils, heads of research councils, ad hoc review panels, and the administration, will receive training by an external expert in 2026. A plan will also be established to ensure that new members receive ongoing training.

Until now, the fund has not explicitly worked with diversity, consistency, or bias awareness in its assessment practices. Instead, there has been a strong focus on allowing space for field-specific differences and nuance. This remains important. At the same time, there is a growing need to strengthen a shared professional understanding of assessment practices across both the secretariat and reviewers in order to ensure the continued high standard of Danish research.

In general, the training will focus on bias awareness in assessment processes and on providing concrete tools for identifying and mitigating bias. The training will also evolve over time to incorporate new initiatives stemming from the Fund’s commitments under ARRA.

Independent Research Fund Denmark plays a key role in the Danish research funding landscape as one of the primary sources of funding for ideas driven by researcher initiative. As a public fund and part of the Danish public administration, the fund has a particular responsibility to ensure transparency and openness in its activities and internal decision-making processes. By being transparent about its procedures and tools, the fund enables the wider research community, including applicants, to understand how proposals are assessed. The fund limits confidentiality to cases where it is strictly necessary, such as the protection of personal data, researchers’ original ideas, and the assessments of those ideas.

The fund will continuously publish procedural documents and internal guidelines on its website, once they have been revised. These materials will be integrated into relevant sections of the site to enhance clarity and accessibility.