Transformative Research Assessment: Integrating Societal Impacts into Evaluation Frameworks

This White Paper, “Transformative Research Assessment: Integrating Societal Impacts into Evaluation Frameworks,” was produced by CoARA’s Societal Impact Subgroup under the Towards Transformation Working Group. It addresses the urgent need to broaden research evaluation beyond traditional metrics such as publications and citations to include concrete societal outcomes. Drawing on contributions from over 20 members in Europe, the paper articulates a pluralistic definition of societal impact, recognising both intended and unintended changes across economic, social, cultural, environmental, and policy domains.

Structured into four chapters, the paper first makes the case for why societal relevance matters in an era of global crises. It then unpacks the complexity of defining and assessing societal impact, reviewing national frameworks (for example, REF UK and Horizon Europe) and diverse methods such as contribution analysis and participatory pathway mapping. Chapter 3 highlights how funders design calls to embed impact goals, the tools available for ex ante, in itinere and ex post evaluation, and the institutional cultures that support impact-driven research. Finally, the paper offers six guiding principles: prioritise societal relevance; embrace pluralism; plan for impact from the start; co-create with stakeholders; assess benefits and risks; and balance accountability with learning. It also proposes targeted actions for researchers, institutions, funders, businesses, civil society, and policymakers.

By proposing practical next steps such as piloting new approaches, building impact capabilities, strengthening ecosystems, and embracing iterative learning, this White Paper serves as both a call to action and a roadmap for embedding societal impact as a core dimension of research assessment, culture, funding, and evaluation.