This whitepaper presents a strategic framework for advancing Responsible Research Assessment (RRA) across the European digital research ecosystem. Responding to the European Commission’s call for a science system fit for the AI era, we propose a common roadmap to transition from outdated, publication-centric evaluation towards inclusive, transparent, and context-sensitive practices. Our initiative is built upon a foundation of core ethical principles, translated into actionable tools through a coordinated, systemic approach with three key pillars: (1) participatory design with Research and Innovation Actors (RIA), (2) flexibility and adaptability to diverse disciplines and missions, and (3) interoperability within the wider open science ecosystem. We introduce two key innovations developed through extensive co-design: the Ethics Assessment Alignment Matrix (EAAM), which bridges normative values with assessable research domains, and the Modular Assessment Configurator (MAC), a digital tool that enables institutions and funders to create configurable, explicable, and value-aligned assessment workflows. These tools are designed to integrate with open infrastructures, notably the OpenAIRE Graph, which provides a provenance-enriched, FAIR-aligned evidence base for assessments. By fusing ethical foresight with operational, machine-actionable solutions, this work provides a practical pathway to embed open science principles directly into research and career evaluation. It demonstrates how aligning policy, ethics, and technical infrastructure is essential for building a trustworthy, resilient, and innovative research assessment system for the 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.