This paper presents the preliminary results research project funded under the CoARA Boost 2 initiative, focused on the design and development of an OER toolkit to support systemic reform in research assessment. The project is explicitly grounded in open practices—both as a subject of learning and as a methodological approach—embedding principles of openness, transparency, and reuse throughout its pedagogical and technical design. It responds to the growing international needs, led by CoARA and aligned with the UNESCO Recommendations on Open Science and Open Education, to move beyond reductive, metric-driven evaluation systems toward more responsible, inclusive, and qualitative approaches.

Aligned with key CoARA principles—including recognising diverse research contributions, prioritising qualitative evaluation, discouraging inappropriate metrics, investing in capacity building, and promoting transparency and knowledge exchange—this initiative contributes to advancing a more equitable and context-sensitive research culture, to positions OER not only as a teaching and learning resources, but as a catalyst for sustainable institutional transformation in research assessment.

The project is particularly attentive to the needs of small and regional universities, which often face structural constraints including limited funding, reduced institutional capacity, and insufficient personnel to deliver large-scale training initiatives. These institutions are nonetheless under increasing pressure to align with emerging open science mandates and responsible research assessment frameworks. In this context, the OER toolkit is designed as a scalable and adaptable solution that enables broad capacity-building across diverse user groups, including early-career researchers, principal investigators, evaluators, and institutional leaders.

Articulated through a framework of open pedagogical practices, the toolkit is being developed on an open platform that supports co-creation, adaptation, and reuse, focusing on key areas including Open Science principles, research culture transformation, data management, open data, FAIR principles, and data stewardship, alongside practical guidance for implementing responsible research assessment. The open infrastructure underpinning the toolkit ensures that content can be easily localised, updated, and embedded within different institutional contexts, fostering sustainability and community-driven development.

The project adopts a design-based research methodology, combining iterative development with stakeholder engagement across partner institutions, University of Suffolk and University of Bedfordshire (UK). Preliminary findings from pilot phases indicate that the OER approach is effective in increasing awareness of CoARA principles, enhancing understanding of open science practices, and supporting shifts toward qualitative, peer review-informed evaluation. Early evidence also highlights the value of flexible, self-directed learning pathways in contexts where formal training provision is limited.

This presentation will share a critical reflection on the role of OER in Open Science. It will also showcase the OER toolkit developed to date, demonstrating how open platforms and openly licensed resources can support the widespread adoption of responsible research assessment practices. By emphasising adaptability, accessibility, and inclusivity, the project illustrates how open educational practices can enable resource-constrained institutions to participate meaningfully in research reform agendas.