Identifying Gaps in Research Software Policy: A report from Subgroup 3/4 of the ReSA & RDA Policies in Research Organisations for Research Software (PRO4RS) Working Group

This report presents one of the outputs of the Policies in Research Organisations for Research Software (PRO4RS) Working Group, jointly led by the Research Software Alliance (ReSA) and the Research Data Alliance (RDA). It documents the work of Subgroup 3&4, which focused on defining a common framework for research software policy and identifying critical gaps in current institutional approaches.

As software has become an increasingly important element of research across domains, research-performing organisations are increasingly called upon to develop and align policies that support its recognition, sustainability, and the professionals who develop it. This report analyses 38 institutional policy documents collected by the working group, classifying them based on their direct or indirect treatment of research software and coding them against 15 policy categories identified through community consultation.

The findings show that while many institutions include research software in policies on infrastructure, licensing, or open science, few address areas concerning research assessment reform. The report concludes with a recommendation to further revisit the idea of a fixed common framework and suggest to work on a multilayered approach for policy development. This work is to be advanced through the RDA TIGER cascading project 2025.