The Institute of Bioethics of the Universidade Católica Portuguesa hosted, on June 18th, the international workshop “Training on Self-Evaluation in Research Assessment Across Scales: From Researchers to Institutions”, held within the framework of the European project SE4RA – Teaming for Self-Evaluation in Research Assessment Across Scales, funded by the CoARA Boost programme.
The event brought together researchers, academics, research managers, students, and international experts to discuss one of the most significant strategic challenges facing contemporary science and higher education: the development of research assessment systems that are more responsible, inclusive, and aligned with the values that universities and research institutions seek to promote.
Against a backdrop of growing international momentum for research assessment reform, driven by the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA), Open Science policies, and ongoing debates on research integrity and research culture, the workshop provided a valuable forum for reflecting on how assessment systems influence knowledge production, academic careers, institutional priorities, and the relationship between science and society.
At the opening session, the Vice-Rector of the Universidade Católica Portuguesa, José Manuel Pereira de Almeida, and the Director of the Católica Medical School, António de Almeida, highlighted the importance of evaluation systems that reconcile scientific excellence with rigor and ethical responsibility.
Throughout the meeting, experts from different institutions and international organizations reflected on the challenges of implementing new models of research assessment, emphasizing the need to value the diversity of scientific contributions, strengthen public trust in science, and overcome an excessive reliance on purely quantitative indicators.
Mara de Sousa Freitas, Director of the Institute of Bioethics, framed the SE4RA project as an initiative designed to foster critical reflection on the role of assessment in shaping contemporary research cultures. She emphasized that assessment systems are never neutral: they influence behaviours, guide scientific choices, shape patterns of collaboration, and ultimately define what institutions recognise as excellence. Recalling that the legitimacy of science depends not only on the quality of the knowledge it produces but also on the trust it inspires, she argued that responsible research assessment should be understood as a fundamental dimension of research integrity and institutional responsibility. In this context, she highlighted the need to align research assessment with values such as human dignity, the common good, collaboration, openness, societal relevance, and trust, thereby contributing to a more responsible and socially meaningful science. She concluded by challenging participants to reflect not only on how research should be assessed, but also on what kind of research culture universities wish to build for future generations, reminding the audience that “what we choose to assess reflects what we value; what we reward shapes what we become.”
More than a discussion about indicators and metrics, the meeting highlighted that research assessment is ultimately a question of values and research culture. In an era in which science faces increasingly complex and interconnected challenges, the central question is not simply how to assess research better, but what kind of science and what kind of research culture we wish to build. If assessment shapes behaviours, and behaviours shape cultures, then transforming research assessment is also a way of fostering a science that is more responsible, collaborative, trustworthy, and genuinely oriented towards the common good.
The workshop also underscored the role of academic training in fostering a culture of responsible research, with the active participation of students involved in the SE4RA project.
The initiative reinforced the commitment of the Universidade Católica Portuguesa to the principles of the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA) and to the development of research ecosystems that promote the quality, integrity, and social relevance of scientific knowledge.