A whitepaper on reforming research assessment for a digital and AI-driven science future

This whitepaper proposes a strategic framework to advance Responsible Research Assessment (RRA) in Europe, responding to the need for a science system fit for the AI era. The initiative is rooted in the ethical principles developed by the CoARA Ethics and Research Integrity Policy for Responsible Research Assessment in Data and Artificial Intelligence (ERIP) Working Group. We introduce two co-designed tools, the Ethics Assessment Alignment Matrix (EAAM) and the Modular Assessment Configurator (MAC), to enable value-aligned, customizable evaluation workflows that integrate with open infrastructures like the OpenAIRE Graph. By fusing ethical principles with operational solutions, this initiative provides a practical pathway to embed open science directly into research and career evaluation.