Research evaluation and scientific autonomy under pressure

Research evaluation is being reshaped by shifting global powers, rising security concerns and rapid technological developments such as artificial intelligence. At the same time, science faces growing public scrutiny, as misconduct, plagiarism, data fabrication and predatory journals challenge its credibility and ethics. Debates on scientific integrity are increasingly entangled with geopolitical interests and technological change, revealing evaluation as a politicised tool. As political pressures constrain international collaboration, open science and academic mobility, evaluation systems become key arenas where diverse actors negotiate research sovereignty and academic freedom. In parallel, technological advances are transforming evaluation procedures, with AI-driven tools – algorithmic indicators, automated peer review, and large-scale data analytics – offering efficiency while raising concerns about reliability, transparency and fairness.
In this scenario, the academic community needs to critically reassess how evaluation affects not only excellence and impact, but also individual academic freedom, institutional autonomy, ethical responsibility, inclusivity and trust in research.