It has been eight months since the Open and Responsible Researcher Reward and Recognition (OR4) project launched its Toolkit for recognising and rewarding open research, and we are continuing to evolve it, working closely with the OR4 Community of Practice to add materials and case studies.
About the Toolkit
The Toolkit is designed to help institutions reflect on and develop their researcher assessment practices. It includes:
- A maturity framework and self-assessment tool to support internal discussions and track progress over time
- An implementation guide to support institutions in achieving this and
- Case studies that exemplify different aspects of institutional activity.
Uptake of the Toolkit
The Toolkit was developed to be relevant and usable for all types of institutions, regardless of where they are on their journey towards recognising and rewarding open research. At the OR4 Community of Practice meetings, we’ve been inviting institutions to tell us about their experience of using the materials, and it’s been fascinating to see how institutions have taken the materials and made them their own.
At our March Community of Practice meeting, 87% of contributors to a Mentimeter poll said that their institution was either planning a self-assessment or considering one within the next year. As might be expected, the main barrier cited was time and resources. However, it was a positive indication of enthusiasm for using the tool and prompted us to think about how to reduce these barriers.
Evolving the Toolkit
In recent months, we have added several new resources:
Institutional case studies
In addition to the existing Bristol case study, we have published case studies from Sunderland, Reading and Loughborough universities. These cover a range of reward and recognition activities from building institutional engagement, through strategy and planning, to policy and procedure.
In some cases, institutions have generously shared the tools and resources they discuss in their case study which can be downloaded and adapted.
Case studies on how institutions have used the maturity framework
We are collecting the innovative ways institutions have used the maturity framework here. We hope this demonstrates some of the ways the framework can (and should!) be adapted to suit the needs of the user. We hope these glimpses into different approaches will inspire other institutions to flex the Toolkit to work in their institutional context.
An Introductory Video
The website now includes a seven-minute introductory video explaining the Toolkit and how to navigate it – an easy way to share the Toolkit’s purpose and approach with colleagues.
Recognising non-academic contributors to research
The collaborative nature of much research relies on the contributions of a wider network of colleagues beyond academic researchers. In response to conversations about this, we have also added a discussion on recognising non-academic contributors to the Toolkit.
Working in Partnership with the Community of Practice
The Community of Practice continues to play a vital role in bringing the Toolkit to life. Through regular engagement, we aim to foster a virtuous circle of reflection and action, supporting improved reward and recognition practices across all types of institutions.
The presentations from Community members have been insightful and honest, not only sharing successes but also acknowledging the real challenges in driving research culture in the current environment. We are grateful to everyone who has contributed their experiences and learning.
Looking Ahead
We would like to invite you to submit case studies on institutional reward and recognition practices – these are particularly valued by colleagues. If you have been evolving your reward and recognition practices and have a story to share, find the case study brief and template here, and get in contact with Evangline Gowie for an initial conversation.
If you are considering undertaking a self-assessment and would welcome a conversation with a member of the team, please contact us. If you have done the self-assessment, please let us know and give us feedback!
The Community of Practice meets every four months and has meetings booked through to May 2026. These meetings are a great opportunity to connect with colleagues across the HE sector on reward and recognition issues. Please contact Karen Desborough for more information on joining the Community.
Finally, a big thank you to everyone who has contributed to the OR4 Toolkit and Community of Practice so far — your openness and insights are helping to shape meaningful culture change.
Feature image by Google DeepMind