Abstract:

The League of European Research Universities (LERU) has been actively developing a new Researcher Assessment Framework to respond to the intrinsic demands of researchers’ multi-dimensional career development,the practical challenges of paradigm shifts in the era of open science,and the pressing need to enhance the international competitiveness of academic careers in Europe. This framework broadens perspectives,enriches dimensions, and refines methods of assessment in order to foster the multi-faceted development of academic roles,highlight the diverse forms of academic contribution,and build an inclusive evaluation system with the participation of multiple stakeholders. The value co-construction between evaluation and career development is reflected in four aspects:developmental evaluation supports broader career pathways;contextual evaluation challenges the accumulation of rigid academic capital;process-oriented evaluation promotes collaborative innovation;and reflective evaluation enhances academic discourse. To support career advancement and strengthen the academic community,the framework encourages interdisciplinarity,cultivates a sustainable research ecosystem,emphasizes leadership,and links individual growth with collective excellence. It ultimately establishes a diffusion mechanism for academic evaluation through the mutual shaping of norms and values.

Key words: LERU, framework for the assessment of researchers, academic career, multidimensional evaluation