Research culture
Our Commitment to Responsible Research Assessment
At Northeastern University London, we are committed to fostering a research culture that values quality, integrity, openness, and meaningful impact. We recognise that how research is assessed shapes the behaviours, priorities, and wellbeing of our scholarly community. Responsible Research Assessment is therefore central to our mission as a global, interdisciplinary university dedicated to advancing knowledge for the benefit of society.
As NU London occupies a distinctive position as both an integral part of a major U.S. research university and an independent UK higher education provider, we are uniquely placed to bridge research cultures, policies, and expectations across two dynamic academic systems. This transatlantic identity enables us to draw on the strengths of Northeastern University’s global research network while engaging directly with the UK’s regulatory, funding, and scholarly environment. Our approach to Responsible Research Assessment reflects this dual perspective: we seek to model practices that are internationally informed, locally responsive, and capable of supporting interdisciplinary, globally connected research to address societal challenges.
We are proud signatories to the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA) and members of the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (COARA). Through these commitments, we align ourselves with an international movement to improve how research, researchers, and research organisations are recognised and rewarded. These initiatives call for a shift away from narrow, metrics-driven evaluation—such as reliance on journal-based indicators—and toward approaches that:
- Assess the intrinsic quality and originality of research outputs
- Recognise diverse forms of scholarship, including interdisciplinary, applied, and practice-based work
- Value openness, collaboration, and varied contributions to research culture
- Acknowledge a broad range of impacts, across all areas of society, wherever they occur.
- Support fairness, inclusivity, and transparency in academic careers
Our Principles
In line with our institutional values and international commitments, we endorse the following principles:
Quality Over Quantity
We evaluate research on its intellectual contribution, methodological rigour and significance, rather than the venue of publication or citation counts.
Recognition of Diverse Contributions
We value the full spectrum of academic research practices, outputs, engagements and impacts. We also value the contribution of all colleagues to research, including researchers, teaching staff, professional services, research managers, leaders, students and other collaborators.
Responsible Use of Metrics
Quantitative indicators may inform evaluation when used appropriately, but they are not used in isolation. Metrics are applied transparently, contextually, and with an understanding of their limitations and disciplinary appropriateness. In particular, we do not use journal-based metrics such as journal impact factors, a researcher’s h-index, or institutional rankings as proxies for the quality of individual research or researcher contributions in hiring, promotion, or funding decisions.
Equity and Inclusion in Assessment
We are committed to assessment practices that recognise varied career paths, disciplinary norms, and individual circumstances, ensuring that evaluation processes are fair and inclusive.
Openness and Research Integrity
We encourage open research practices including open access and open data (where appropriate), with integrity as an essential component for research excellence and public trust.
Putting Commitment into Practice
To realise these principles, we are:
- Embedding responsible assessment criteria in recruitment, promotion, and appraisal processes
- Providing guidance and training for staff involved in evaluation and decision-making
- Widening our assessment processes to reflect multiple career pathways and welcoming qualitative and qualitative evidence of impact and contribution
- Reviewing policies regularly to ensure alignment with evolving international best practice
- Collaborating with partners across the global Northeastern network and the wider higher education sector to advance assessment reform
- including Responsible Research Assessment in institutional governance processes, with clear accountability for overseeing implementation and tracking progress
- Aligning our DORA and CoARA commitments with our preparations for REF 2029, including the development of our Code of Practice
A Culture That Enables Meaningful Research
Responsible Research Assessment is a cultural as well as a policy commitment. By aligning evaluation with our academic values, we aim to create an environment in which researchers are empowered to pursue ambitious, ethical, and societally relevant work, without being constrained by inappropriate or reductive measures of success.
We will continue to engage with the global community to refine and strengthen our approach, ensuring that our assessment practices support research that is innovative, inclusive, and impactful.
Gender equality plan
Northeastern University London is committed to ensuring and promoting gender equality and seeks to identify and mitigate any imbalances. Please click here to see how we align with the Horizon Europe Gender Equality Plan (GEP) requirements.
Research support
Research and Knowledge Exchange Services (RKES) at Northeastern University London provides comprehensive support to faculty, researchers and students throughout the research lifecycle.
How we can help
Pre-award: Funding opportunity identification, proposal development and application support across the UK, EU and international schemes. Contact.
Post-award: Project management, financial monitoring, compliance oversight and reporting to ensure smooth project delivery. Contact.
Contracts & partnerships: Research collaboration facilitation, contract negotiations and knowledge transfer activities. Contact.
Impact & knowledge exchange: Strategic support to translate research into real-world impact and demonstrate broader societal value.
Research ethics: Guidance on ethics procedures, compliance and maintaining the highest standards of research integrity. Contact.
Publishing: Open access publishing support, repository services and research dissemination guidance. Contact.
Post-award project management: Project management, compliance oversight and general queries Contact.
Post-award financial management: Financial monitoring and reporting queries. Contact.
Northeastern University London is a charity
registered with the Charity Commission for
England and Wales (charity number 1189858).
Location
Devon House
58 St Katharine’s Way
London E1W 1LP, UK
+44 20 7637 4550
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