The project “AURA – Open Science and its Integration into Academic Staff Assessment” at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” examines how academics and researchers view the inclusion of open and responsible research and innovation (ORRI) in the evaluation of scientific work. Funded by the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA), the project focuses on expanding current research assessment procedures through collaborative design involving key stakeholders such as the Ministry of Education and Science and the National Agency for Assessment and Accreditation of Bulgaria.
AURA addresses the gap in Bulgaria’s research assessment system. While the Law on Promotion of Scientific Research and Innovation (adopted in May 2024) places open research at the core of national policy, the evaluation of scientific research is still governed by the Law on the Development of Academic Staff, allowing each institution to set its own rules and requirements. The project aims to analyze these institutional procedures and provide recommendations for integrating open and responsible research and innovation into the national evaluation framework.
As an institutional pilot project, AURA seeks to engage Sofia University’s academic community in co-creating a framework that, for the first time in Bulgaria, incorporates open science principles into research assessment. The project’s mission is to lead national reform in research evaluation by embedding open science into assessment practices.
Objectives:
- Accelerate the integration of open research into research evaluation at Sofia University.
- Prepare the university to join the CoARA Research Assessment Reform Agreement and raise awareness among Bulgarian stakeholders.
- Identify and build capacity for best practices that support the inclusion of open and responsible research and innovation in research evaluation.
- Develop recommendations for both university-level and national legislative frameworks to reflect open research in assessment.
The work plan includes a desk study, legal analysis, qualitative research on researcher attitudes, promotional webinars, and co-creation meetings to promote the inclusion of open research in academic staff assessment.
The project team consists of experienced members of the scientific community, including Prof. Krasen Stefanov (SU "St. Kliment Ohridski"), Prof. Ana Proykova (SU "St. Kliment Ohridski"), Ana Lazarova (SU "St. Kliment Ohridski" and the Digital Republic Association), along with trainers and practitioners.