Perspectives on recognizing open research data in research assessment

Abstract The growing emphasis on open science has increased interest in recognizing open research data (ORD) practices in research assessment. Yet, current initiatives often risk reducing ORD to a compliance exercise. This perspective article identifies three challenges that undermine meaningful recognition of ORD and develops avenues for overcoming them. The three challenges are the absence of clear evaluation criteria, the neglect of disciplinary diversity, and the dominance of administrative routines disconnected from scientific expertise. To address these issues, we propose shifting the focus from mere data sharing to a two-component approach assessing the substance of data processing consisting of research data management competence across the data lifecycle and the contributions to research communities through data sharing and engagement. Together, these components offer a foundation for research policies that acknowledge ORD as a substantive dimension of research, rather than as an administrative add-on.