Rethinking Research Excellence: The Real Meaning of the DORA Declaration
- OUS Academy in Switzerland
- Aug 13, 2025
- 3 min read
For many years, academic success has been tied to numbers—particularly the impact factor of journals and how often a researcher’s work is cited. But what if this way of measuring research is too narrow? What if it overlooks the true value of a researcher’s work, especially when that work brings change, solves real problems, or contributes in ways that cannot be measured by citations alone?
That’s where the DORA Declaration comes in. It’s not just a document—it’s a movement that urges the academic world to look beyond numbers and recognize the real, diverse value of research and researchers.
Why the Way We Measure Research Needs to Change
Traditionally, institutions and funding bodies have relied heavily on journal-based metrics to evaluate researchers. For example, the impact factor—a number that reflects the average number of citations of articles in a journal—is often used as a shortcut to judge research quality.
However, this approach has many problems. It creates pressure to publish in a small number of high-impact journals, often limiting creativity and innovation. It also overlooks other valuable contributions such as software development, policy recommendations, educational resources, or community outreach. These contributions may not lead to citations, but they can have a significant impact on society.
Most importantly, this system can be unfair. It tends to reward researchers in well-established fields while undervaluing those in interdisciplinary or applied research areas. As a result, many talented researchers are overlooked or excluded from opportunities they deserve.
The Heart of the Declaration
The DORA Declaration offers a different vision. Instead of relying on journal names and citation numbers, it encourages institutions to evaluate research based on its actual content and impact. The declaration is built around a few simple, powerful ideas:
Don’t use journal-based metrics as a shortcut. Focus on the work itself, not where it was published.
Recognize a wider range of research outputs. These include data sets, software, teaching tools, public engagement, and more.
Consider qualitative factors. Peer review, expert opinions, and personal statements can reveal the real quality of a researcher’s work.
Promote transparency and fairness. Institutions should clearly explain how they evaluate research and involve diverse voices in decision-making.
These principles promote a culture where researchers are judged more fairly and encouraged to produce work that truly matters.
A New Direction for Institutions
Many universities and research institutions are beginning to adopt practices inspired by the DORA Declaration. Instead of only counting publications or chasing high-impact journals, they’re asking deeper questions: What difference has this research made? Has it influenced policy? Has it helped communities? Has it opened new paths for inquiry?
Some are now using narrative CVs, which allow researchers to explain their work in context. Others are redesigning promotion and hiring criteria to value teaching, teamwork, and service to society. These changes are not always easy, but they are helping create a more inclusive and meaningful research environment.
What This Means for Researchers
For researchers—especially those early in their careers—the declaration is both encouraging and empowering. It tells them that their value is not limited to how many papers they publish or where they publish them. It recognizes that every contribution counts.
This can help reduce pressure and open doors for more diverse career paths. It also creates room for innovation, as researchers are no longer forced to follow narrow publishing goals. They are instead free to focus on work that makes a difference—whether that’s developing a new tool, engaging with local communities, or solving practical challenges.
Looking Ahead
The DORA Declaration is not about rejecting evaluation altogether. Instead, it’s about making evaluation more thoughtful, inclusive, and relevant. It asks us to step back and reconsider what truly defines research excellence. Is it numbers on a page, or the real-world effects of scholarly work?
This shift is especially important today, as the global research community faces urgent challenges—climate change, health crises, inequality, and more. Solving these problems requires collaboration, creativity, and openness. It also requires systems that support and recognize all kinds of contributions—not just those that fit neatly into old metrics.
As more institutions and individuals embrace the declaration’s values, we move closer to a future where research is evaluated not just by where it appears, but by the impact it creates.
Sources:
Hicks, D., Wouters, P., Waltman, L., de Rijcke, S., & Rafols, I. (2015). The Metric Tide: Report of the Independent Review of the Role of Metrics in Research Assessment and Management.
Moher, D., Bouter, L., Kleinert, S., Glasziou, P., Sham, M. H., Barbour, V., & Dirnagl, U. (2018). Assessing scientists for hiring, promotion, and tenure. PLoS Biology.
Smith, R. (2006). Commentary: The power of the impact factor and how it harms science. BMJ.
Cronin, B. (2001). Hyperauthorship and the shifting structure of scholarly communication. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology.
Wilsdon, J. (2016). Next-Generation Metrics: Responsible Metrics and Evaluation for Open Science. European Commission.
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