OPUS News

The OPUS: Open and Universal Science project invites project partners, researchers, professionals, and experts in open science and/or gender equality—as well as science policymakers, HR managers in research-performing organisations, and programme managers in research funding bodies—to take part in this collaborative event.

Together, we will:

• Critically reflect on the European Commission’s recommendations on research evaluation in context of Open Science and Gender Equality;
• Identify barriers to implementation of the recommendations at policy, organizational, and individual levels;
• Develop practical recommendations for the European Commission and research organisations to better embed openness, transparency, and equality in science.

Date and time: May 15th, 2025 at 10:30-12:00 CET

Venue: https://liedm.zoom.us/j/93051222120 Please register by May 13^th.

Although PLOCAN was not formally designated as a pilot institution, its leadership position has allowed it to closely monitor pilot activities and incorporate best practices within its own organisational structure. Initial efforts focused on key internal stakeholders, particularly those involved in data generation, management, and governance, enabling a practical and scalable implementation of Open Science principles.

PLOCAN actively incorporates Open Science principles into its organisational practices, focusing on marine data management and software development for innovative marine research solutions.

• Policy Alignment: Strategic plan revised to incorporate Open Science principles within national and institutional frameworks for sustainable commitment.

• FAIR Data Practices: Implementation of internal protocols for FAIR data management covering data collection, storage, and file naming conventions.

• Marine Data Platform: Development of a cloud-based data management system (Microsoft Azure) to optimise data integration, storage, processing, and secure access. • Interactive Tools: Creation of maps and visualisation tools for environmental data, time series, and statistics, promoting usability and accessibility.

• Training: Workshops enhance Open Science awareness and practices within the organisation.

Internal Collaboration and Organisational Commitment to implement Open Science

The success of PLOCAN’s approach has been underpinned by strong internal collaboration and the active commitment of the PLOCAN departments of Responsible Research and Data Management. Strategic leadership has set the direction, technical and scientific teams, especially those managing data infrastructures—have played a vital role in the development of key Open Science initiatives.

Key Achievements and Activities – PLOCAN

• Policy alignment: PLOCAN has revised and aligned its strategic plan with Open Science principles, integrating both national and institutional policy frameworks to ensure coherence and long-term commitment.
• FAIR data training and practises:
  • Training sessions on FAIR data management have been delivered, promoting good Open Science practices among institutional staff.
  • Protocols are being developed to ensure that researchers adhere to FAIR data principles from the very beginning of data collection, including how data is stored and how file names are assigned.
• Marine data management platform: A cloud-based data management system is being developed using Microsoft Azure. The platform aims to optimise the integration, storage, processing, visualisation, and secure access to marine data according to Open Science and Fair principles.
• Interactive data tools: New interactive maps and tools are being developed to visualise environmental variables, time series data, statistics, and other relevant applications, enhancing data usability and accessibility for researchers and stakeholders, according to Open Science and Fair principles.
• Open Software: Development of open-source scripts designed for the marine sciences community, including areas like acoustic data analysis. These scripts are functional and published in a way that ensures their value is recognized. Additionally, they are made available in repositories, ensuring accessibility and community engagement.

Alignment with Broader Initiatives

PLOCAN’s ongoing efforts are strategically aligned with key initiatives such as the Barcelona Declaration and the HRS4R. PLOCAN is working to fully integrate these frameworks into its operations, solidifying its commitment to advancing research capacity and Open Science practices in line with its long-term institutional goals.

Looking Ahead

Many of the activities initiated by PLOCAN will continue beyond the OPUS project’s duration. These include the implementation of a cloud-based infrastructure to manage, store, process, and visualise marine data, and interactive tools such as maps, time series visualisations, and statistical applications to enhance marine data accessibility.

Protocols are also being developed to standardise the naming conventions of files generated at PLOCAN, with the aim of facilitating their searchability, classification, and traceability. At the same time, a metadata template is being created to enable a structured and consistent description of datasets, including key information such as their origin, the variables they contain, and other relevant characteristics. This will support their identification, retrieval, and reuse. As part of this effort, common file formats —such as CSV and NetCDF— that are compatible and widely used by the scientific community are also being adopted, ensuring interoperability, sustainability, and compatibility with data analysis and storage platforms, in line with FAIR principles.

OPUS project on social media and PLOCAN web

Nicosia, Cyprus – The University of Cyprus (UCY), in partnership with YERUN (Young European Research Universities Network) and the OPUS Consortium, hosted the final Mutual Learning session of the OPUS project. This gathering brought together thought leaders, researchers, practitioners, and policy influencers to reflect on pilot implementations, assess progress, and co-design the way forward.

The University of Cyprus played a central role in yesterday’s OPUS Mutual Learning workshop, where Panagiotis Moiras, Director of the Research and Innovation Support Service (RISS), offered a compelling overview of the university’s contributions to the advancement of open science—both within the institution and on a national scale.

In his address, Mr Moiras reflected on the university’s rapid development, despite its relatively young age, highlighting its deepening collaborations and growing impact on the wider Cypriot research community. A key milestone, he noted, came in 2008 when the University of Cyprus became the first institution in the country to sign the Berlin Declaration on Open Access to Knowledge in the Sciences and Humanities. Since then, the university has been a driving force in promoting open science principles at both institutional and national levels.

Two landmark achievements stood out in the presentation. First, the university’s instrumental role in shaping national policy led to the approval of Cyprus’s open science frameworks in 2016 and again in 2022. These were the result of extensive collaboration with key government bodies, including the Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy. Secondly, Mr Moiras pointed to the university library’s unique position as the sole national Open Access Desk for OpenAIRE in Cyprus. Over the years, the library has evolved into a trusted knowledge hub, regularly engaging researchers through webinars, conferences, and information days.

As part of its practical efforts, the University of Cyprus has implemented policies aligned with European and global standards, established vital research infrastructure such as the Gnosis repository, and actively contributed to initiatives like Zenodo and CoARA. These actions underscore the university’s commitment to embedding open science into its research culture.

“The journey of open science in Cyprus started from our university,” he stated proudly. He acknowledged that while significant progress had been made, the path ahead remains long and complex, requiring a shift in research culture built over decades. Nonetheless, he affirmed the university’s dedication to continuing this transformation—for the benefit of a more transparent, inclusive, and equitable research landscape.

The day began with a keynote address by Vasiliki (Sylvia) V. Koukounidou, Coordinator of UCY’s Digitisation and Archives Office, who narrated UCY’s evolving journey with Open Science. Koukounidou recounted milestones in embedding openness into institutional processes—from policy design to cultural transformation, and highlighted the role of internal networks, such as the establishment of open science champions and the active engagement of early-career researchers, while acknowledging the persistent challenges, particularly in aligning personal motivations with institutional goals.

This was followed by focused pilot presentations, each offering ten-minute insights into individual implementation experiences, rounded off by a dynamic twenty-minute collective Q&A session.

University Nova Lisbon, Portugal, OPUS Pilot Implementation, and Next Activities

NOVA University of Lisbon opened with an overview of their adaptive approach, stressing the importance of institutional flexibility and staff coordination.

NOVA University Lisbon has made significant strides in its efforts to institutionalise open science practices as part of its involvement in the OPUS project. The initiative, which aligns with national policies and aims to foster transparency and responsible research, has been a cornerstone of the university’s strategy to promote open access publications, data sharing, and software dissemination.

Institutional Goals and Strategic Framework
When embarking on this project, NOVA set out to develop dedicated policies that support open science. Key objectives included creating a comprehensive open science strategy for the institution and fostering a culture of transparency in research. The pilot phase focused on two main categories: research and valorisation. Within these areas, key efforts included data management, software development, publication production, and citizen engagement activities. These were further supported by complementary initiatives such as policy development, resource allocation, repository creation, awareness-raising sessions, and training workshops.

Collaboration with Research Centres

Nova partnered with two research centres to advance its goals. One centre specialises in disease and life sciences, while the other focuses on software development and digital infrastructure. This collaboration has been pivotal in addressing challenges related to policy interventions and resource allocation.

Policy Development and Implementation
NOVA has adopted a proactive approach by introducing an internal Open Science Guide, designed to serve as a foundational framework for researchers across all disciplines. The guide outlines best practices in open access publishing, data management, software sharing, and citizen science. It is fully aligned with international standards, including the UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science and the FAIR principles, ensuring consistency and global relevance.

Progress in Key Areas
Open Access Publications

Monitoring commenced in Month 9 of the project (January 2024), and findings showed that all publications produced by the OPUS cohort during the first phase of implementation were made openly accessible

Data Sharing

Although open-source code was not initially available, NOVA supported OPUS cohort in making their code publicly accessible via platforms such as GitHub and Zenodo.

Software Development

Although the number of shared datasets from the OPUS cohort has not increased significantly, due to the timing of research cycles and the specific scope of their work, NOVA remains confident in its ability to meet targets in this area.

Citizen Engagement

While this aspect of the initiative is still in its early stages, groundwork has been laid to define its direction. More tangible outcomes are anticipated by Month 18 of the project.

Researcher Involvement and Training

Approximately 13 early-career researchers have participated in cohort activities focused on Open Science topics. Initiatives such as meetings, incentives and policy development have been implemented across five core areas: policy creation, resource allocation, repository use, awareness-raising efforts, and training workshops.

Challenges and Future Directions
Nova acknowledges that fostering a culture of data sharing and open-source development remains challenging. However, feedback from researchers indicates growing awareness of the benefits of open science practices. The university plans to conduct additional workshops and integrate further measures once a national policy is established.

By advancing these practices within its institution and contributing to broader goals under the OPUS project framework, Nova University Lisbon is playing a crucial role in shaping the future of open science for both its academic community and society at large.

University of Cyprus followed, emphasising the value of community-building, transparency, and reproducibility, while also pointing to the difficulties of making software tools user-ready.

 University of Rijeka, OPUS Pilot Implementation, and Next Activities

University of Rijeka reported on the hurdles of aligning national and institutional policies, while highlighting the crucial role of early career researchers. The University of Rijeka in Croatia has adopted a distinctive approach to its participation in the OPUS project, focusing on targeted interventions aligned with strategic objectives for advancing open science practices. Unlike other institutions involved in the initiative, Rijeka concentrated its efforts on a specific cohort of 17 early-career researchers from the Faculty of Law. These researchers were defined as individuals who either had not yet obtained a PhD or had completed their doctorate within the last five years.

Expanding Engagement Beyond the Cohort

While the pilot activities were initially tailored for this cohort, their relevance quickly extended to a broader audience. Consequently, sessions were opened to all interested parties while maintaining personalised support for the cohort to address their specific needs. This dual approach ensured inclusivity while preserving the focused nature of the interventions.

Collaborative Efforts and Institutional Support

The success of Rijeka’s pilot was underpinned by extensive collaboration across university departments. Although leadership figures such as Sasha and colleagues were prominent in meetings, a larger team contributed behind the scenes. The University Library played a pivotal role through its Centre for Open Science and Scientific Information Management, which facilitated many activities. Additionally, the newly established Science Outreach Centre provided timely support during its formative stages, enabling joint piloting of initiatives. A dedicated librarian at the Faculty of Law further enhanced the pilot’s implementation by serving as a key contact point and resource.

Key Achievements and Activities

Since the last mutual learning exercise in Bucharest (Month 9), several milestones have been reached:

• Policy Revision: The university’s open science policy was revised and adopted earlier this year.
• Training Sessions: Tailored one-on-one training sessions were delivered to early-career researchers on topics such as open access publishing, repository usage, and open science practices. Public speaking and outreach workshops added practical skills to the programme.
• EduDoc Platform: A dedicated subpage called EduDoc was launched to centralise resources for PhD students and early-career researchers.
• Open Science Cafés: Six cafés have been hosted so far, exceeding initial targets, with a seventh planned. These popular events foster discussion and engagement on open science topics suggested by participants.
• New Repositories: Platforms for publications, video materials, and outreach efforts were established to ensure accessibility and continuity.

Metrics and Progress Tracking

The pilot has demonstrated measurable success through structured indicators:

• Open Access Publications: The target of 70% openly available publications by Month 9 was surpassed with an achievement of 72%, reflecting robust progress toward end-of-project goals.
• Training Impact: Lifelong learning programmes introduced during the pilot will continue evolving based on participant feedback.
• Outreach Tools: Resources designed to help early-career researchers plan their own initiatives have been developed and integrated into broader institutional strategies.

Alignment with Broader Initiatives

The timing of OPUS has been particularly beneficial for University of Rijeka, coinciding with efforts to update its Human Resources Strategy for Researchers (HRS4R) Action Plan. Activities under OPUS have been coordinated with other projects such as COARA Boost Project OSCAR, launched in collaboration with the University of Cyprus.

Looking Ahead

As the pilot concludes, many of its successful activities will be sustained beyond the project’s timeline. The EduDoc platform will be regularly updated, Open Science Cafés will continue as recurring events, and training programmes will remain accessible to researchers at all levels. By embedding these practices into institutional frameworks, Rijeka is not only advancing open science locally but also contributing significantly to broader European efforts under OPUS.

Updates on UEFISCDI in Romania, OPUS Pilot Implementation, and Next Activities

The Executive Agency for Higher Education, Research, Development, and Innovation Funding (UEFISCDI) has taken a national-level approach to its involvement in the OPUS project, reflecting its role as Romania’s main funder of competitive research and the national support entity for Open Science. The pilot aimed to advance Romania’s National Open Science Strategy, with particular emphasis on implementing FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable)DMP.

Integrating Open Science into Funding Instruments
A significant milestone of the pilot was the introduction of Open Science and FAIR DMP requirements into one of UEFISCDI’s major funding programmes, with a total budget of €320 million. For the first time, applicants were required to explicitly detail their Open Science practices and outline their plans for managing research data according to FAIR principles.If the proposal is funded, the beneficiary must develop a data management plan (DMP) within the first six months of implementation. This programme  is expected to fund 20–24 projects over five years, involving approximately 200–240 researchers.  The duration of the projects is five years, with a possible extension of up to two years.

Key Intervention Areas
The pilot’s intervention points included several important activities that were implemented:

• Policy intervention: Seeking approval to incorporate FAIR DMPs into the funding instrument. 
• Policy intervention: Including FAIR DMP provisions into the application form and evaluation criteria of the funding instrument.
• Awareness Intervention: Developing information package (incl. about DMPs) for researchers applying to the program call.
• Resource Intervention: Develop DMP template for researchers in the program call.

Despite some delays during the evaluation phase of the projects UEFISCDI anticipates that grant contracts will be signed by summer 2025.

Future Developments
Looking ahead, UEFISCDI is preparing DMP related specifications to adapt its national institutional platformse.g. BrainMap, which connects over 65,000 researchers and project reporting/monitoring platform.Approval institutional processes for these adjustments are underway. This aligns with broader efforts to develop a new researcher profile within BrainMap platformthat supports Open Science practices.

In the upcoming period, the DMP template will be tested with researchers from the RDI and OS communities and adjusted based on their feedback.

Expanding Impact Beyond OPUS
The pilot’s success has already influenced other funding instruments. Open Science and FAIR DMP requirements have been integrated into two additional funding programmes.  The information packages for these funding instruments were put into  public consultations. The related funding competitions are currently being prepared.  This represented a significant step forward in aligning national research funding practices with broader Open Science practices and the provisions of the
National Strategy on Research, Innovation, and Smart Specialisation (2022–2027) and national OS strategic framework. .

Through its participation in OPUS, UEFISCDI has laid a strong foundation for advancing Open Science practices in Romania. The integration of FAIR DMP into funding mechanisms (including evaluation criteria) marks a transformative step in modernising research assessment. With ongoing efforts to expand Open Science requirements across funding instruments, UEFISCDI is poised to ensure that the impact of OPUS endures well beyond its formal conclusion.

Updates on Research Council of Lithuania’s OPUS Pilot Implementation and Next Activities

Research Council of Lithuania introduced an Open Science Ambassadors initiative, aiming to institutionalise OS leadership by June from their existing cohort members.

The Research Council of Lithuania (RCL) has been actively advancing its OPUS pilot programme, focusing on three core areas: research, education, and valorisation. Since the last mutual learning meeting in Bucharest, the Council has made significant progress in fostering Open Science practices across Lithuanian research institutions.

Structure and Cohort Engagement
The pilot involves a cohort of 23 principal investigators (PIs) selected through a single call, representing six research institutions in Lithuania. To enhance coordination and impact, RCL established an Advisory Board comprising four members, including the Executive Director, whose high-level involvement has proven instrumental despite not being initially planned. Monthly meetings with the cohort have been pivotal in maintaining engagement among researchers from diverse scientific fields. Setting the full calendar of meetings at the start of the year has ensured consistent participation.

Indicators and Progress
The pilot is testing specific OPUS indicators across three categories:
Research
Data Management Plans (DMPs): Embedded into the application process, applicants are required to submit DMPs if their projects involve data usage. However, these plans are rarely evaluated—a gap RCL aims to address by introducing guidance and templates by May. Selected DMPs will also be made public as examples of good practice.
Open Access Publications: Articles are being collected for evaluation, with openness assessments scheduled by May.

Education
Open Science Skills Certificates: A “training of trainers” workshop was conducted for cohort members and Advisory Board participants. These trained researchers are now expected to deliver sessions within their institutions using provided materials.
Open Science Courses: Approximately 81% of institutions have already begun offering training on Open Science practices, covering topics such as open access, policy landscapes, and citizen science. Practical workshops have encouraged researchers to envision Open Science in Lithuania by 2030.

Valorisation
Sharing Open Science Knowledge: Researchers are documenting institutional training sessions informally through photos and participation numbers while tagging RCL and OPUS on social media—a flexible approach welcomed by participants.

Achievements and Future Goals
The pilot has fostered significant dialogue between funding organisations and research-performing institutions. Initially, researchers expressed frustration over issues such as open access requirements and funding constraints. However, constructive discussions have since emerged, leading to greater engagement in policy development.
One notable outcome is the anticipated training impact: by May 31, up to 5,285 individuals may have received training within Lithuanian institutions—a remarkable achievement if realised. Additionally, cohort members participated in the Inside Trust Barometer survey, sparking valuable conversations about trust in Open Science despite challenging results.

Sustaining Momentum Beyond OPUS
RCL is developing a programme for Open Science Ambassadors to be announced in June, ensuring continued engagement beyond the pilot’s conclusion. The Advisory Board’s involvement has embedded Open Science practices into institutional frameworks, with outcomes feeding directly into new projects at RCL.

Citizen science remains an area for growth; many researchers were unfamiliar with effective public engagement strategies—a challenge that RCL views as an exciting opportunity for development.
In summary, the OPUS pilot has catalysed transformative change within Lithuania’s research landscape. By addressing gaps in data management evaluation, expanding training programmes, and fostering constructive dialogue among stakeholders, RCL is laying the groundwork for sustained progress in Open Science practices across the nation.

Insights from the Q&A Session

The Q&A session provided an engaging platform for clarifying various aspects of the OPUS project and its implementation across institutions. Discussions ranged from citizen science activities and repository integration to communication strategies and templates for data management plans (DMPs). Participants shared valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities associated with promoting Open Science practices, particularly in academic and public contexts.

Citizen Science and Repository Use

One of the key topics raised was the inclusion of citizen science content in repositories. There was a consensus that while this could be beneficial, it requires careful consideration of user needs and repository functionality. The discussion highlighted the importance of ensuring that repositories serve as practical tools for researchers while also fostering broader engagement with scientific work.

Communication Tools and Public Engagement

Participants emphasised the need to expand Open Science communication beyond academic channels. While traditional methods such as departmental resources and internal platforms remain effective, institutions are increasingly exploring public presentations, webinars, and science series to reach wider audiences. Plans to host webinars targeting Greek-speaking audiences and bi-monthly sessions on Open Science topics were particularly noteworthy, demonstrating a commitment to inclusivity and impact.

Templates and Administrative Processes

The conversation around templates for DMPs underscored the importance of balancing practicality with thoroughness. While templates have been translated and adapted to institutional needs, they primarily serve as administrative tools to ensure required sections are completed. The idea of public consultation was raised as a means to refine these templates further, though concerns were expressed about the time and resources needed for deeper thematic discussions.

Staffing Challenges and Long-Term Planning

A recurring theme was the administrative burden placed on programme officers tasked with verifying DMPs. Institutions are considering solutions such as centralised data management centres or dedicated open science teams to address these challenges. This reflects a growing recognition of the need for long-term planning and sustainable support structures for Open Science initiatives.

The discussions during the Q&A session highlighted several overarching themes that are critical to advancing Open Science practices:

1. Balancing Academic Rigour with Accessibility: While Open Science remains primarily focused on academic audiences, there is a growing push to make it more accessible to the general public through innovative communication tools such as webinars, podcasts, and public presentations.
2. Administrative Efficiency: Institutions are striving to streamline processes related to DMPs and other Open Science requirements. The use of templates and administrative checks provides a practical solution, though deeper evaluations may require additional resources or expertise.
3. Collaborative Approaches: The importance of collaboration—whether through advisory boards, institutional teams, or centralised data management centres—was repeatedly emphasised as a way to share workloads and foster collective ownership of Open Science goals.
4. Citizen Science Opportunities: While still underexplored in many institutions, citizen science represents a promising avenue for engaging non-academic audiences in scientific research. Efforts to integrate citizen science into repositories could enhance its visibility and impact.
5. Sustainability Beyond OPUS: Participants expressed a strong desire to continue building on the foundations laid by OPUS. Initiatives such as Open Science Ambassadors, long-term data stewardship planning, and expanded training programmes are key steps toward ensuring lasting progress.

Overall, the session demonstrated a shared commitment among institutions to overcome challenges, innovate solutions, and broaden the reach of Open Science practices both within academia and beyond. As projects move toward their conclusion, there is clear momentum to sustain these efforts into future initiatives.

The Plenary Discussion: Refining the Future: Reflections and Forward Strategies for the OPUS RAF Pilot

The plenary discussion that followed was both critical and generative, focusing on the twin themes of implementation and sustainability of the Researcher Assessment Framework (RAF).

On implementation, participants widely agreed that the RAF had successfully introduced a culture of fairness and inclusivity but could benefit from greater user-friendliness and a more modular design to cater to diverse institutional contexts. A recurring suggestion was to develop a shared vocabulary and guidelines, enabling clearer interpretation and smoother integration of RAF practices across research units. While coordination among stakeholders was praised, some argued for earlier involvement of broader institutional players and more ambitious timelines, which would allow for deeper engagement and more transformative changes.

When asked what they would do differently, several pilot teams stressed the need to build in stronger communication, especially regarding the personal benefits of open science. Many researchers still perceive the cost of embracing OS, such as time, resources, and visibility, as outweighing its individual rewards. Some also highlighted that the impact of RAF will take time to materialise in formal assessment cycles, which demands long-term commitment and strategic patience.

The sustainability conversation brought a forward-looking tone. While most institutions expressed a desire to continue many elements of the pilot, they also acknowledged the need for increased resources: human, technical, and financial. Some interventions, particularly those requiring complex technical infrastructure or cross-departmental integration, might not be scalable without targeted support. Others pointed to the need for ongoing training and institutional buy-in from leadership, suggesting that sustainability hinges as much on culture as on capacity.

Institutions echoed a unified call for better alignment between institutional and national policies, as well as more incentive mechanisms in researcher evaluations. As one participant put it: “Recognition must meet effort. Open science must not remain a noble ideal, it has to become a career enabler.”

The plenary discussion, spanning over an hour and a half, explored key questions about improving the Researcher Assessment Framework (RAF) and scaling Open Science initiatives beyond the pilot phase.

Reflections on Implementation

The discussion opened with a critical evaluation of the RAF, a central tool for assessing Open Science practices. Participants highlighted several areas for improvement:

• Flexibility and Adaptability: While the RAF is comprehensive, its implementation could benefit from greater flexibility, allowing institutions to tailor it to their strategic goals. Suggestions included adding new categories, such as reproducible research, and incorporating horizontal activities that span multiple categories (research, organisation, and education).
• Simplification of Documentation: The current format of RAF documentation was described as overly lengthy and repetitive, which may deter first-time users. Streamlining the framework and providing concrete examples of interventions were proposed as ways to enhance usability.
• Technical Challenges: Implementing reproducible research within the RAF remains difficult due to technical barriers and platform limitations. Tools like Quarto were mentioned as promising but still too complex for widespread adoption.

Participants also discussed practical aspects of implementation, such as scheduling webinars and maintaining regular engagement with researchers. A hybrid format combining face-to-face and online interactions was praised for fostering trust and collaboration among participants.

Insights on Sustainability

The session then shifted focus to sustainability—how Open Science initiatives can be maintained and scaled beyond the pilot phase. Key takeaways included:

• Parts to Continue or Discontinue: Successful pilot activities, such as Open Science training sessions and community events like Open Science cafés, were identified as worth continuing. Conversely, less impactful interventions will naturally phase out.
• Scaling Challenges: Scaling requires more than additional resources; institutional backing and top-level management support are essential. Participants stressed the importance of embedding Open Science practices into research assessments to ensure long-term adoption.
• Incentives for Researchers: A recurring theme was the need for tangible recognition of researchers’ contributions to Open Science. Without career advancement incentives tied to these efforts, engagement may wane over time.

Cross-Cutting Themes

Several broader issues emerged during the discussion:

1. Engaging Decision-Makers: While early-career researchers are often targeted in Open Science initiatives, decision-makers hold the power to enact lasting change. Participants emphasised the need to involve these individuals in training and dissemination efforts.
2. Citizen Science Potential: Despite its promise, citizen science remains underdeveloped in many institutions. Practical tools and policies are needed to help researchers integrate public engagement into their work effectively.
3. Systemic Barriers: National frameworks and policies often lag behind institutional efforts in Open Science. Participants called for stronger mandates from entities like the European Commission to align national policies with Open Science goals.
4. Ethical Considerations: Discussions touched on ethical dilemmas surrounding open access data usage in AI models and dual-use research. Clear regulations are needed to address these modern challenges.

The plenary discussion underscored that while enthusiasm drives many Open Science initiatives, reliance on individual motivation is unsustainable without institutional structures and incentives. Participants agreed that small steps—such as fostering collaboration between researchers and librarians—can gradually shift academic culture.

Looking ahead, scaling Open Science requires a balanced approach combining top-down policy mandates with bottom-up institutional engagement. Mutual learning remains a cornerstone of this transformation, enabling institutions to share best practices and overcome shared challenges.

Ultimately, embedding Open Science into research assessment systems will be key to ensuring its longevity. As one participant aptly noted, “This isn’t a one-off effort but a long-term transformation.” The OPUS project has laid strong foundations, but continued dialogue and action will be essential to sustain its impact across Europe’s research landscape.

Open Science and Research Assessment: Challenges and Institutional Dilemmas Explored at OPUS Session

The afternoon programme resumed with a thought-provoking keynote by Professor Zacharias Maniades, ERA Chair in Science and Innovation Policy at UCY’s SInnoPSis Group. Maniades addressed the complex intersection of Open Science and researcher evaluation. He questioned the systemic inertia of current academic incentives and warned against the commodification of openness. “Open Science,” he argued, “is a public good, but one that must be made personally valuable to each actor in the ecosystem.”

In a thought-provoking address at the OPUS Mutual Learning Session, Zacharias Maniades, Research Professor of Economics and ERA Chair in Science and Innovation Policy at the University of Cyprus, dissected the systemic challenges of aligning Open Science principles with institutional and individual incentives. His presentation, grounded in economic theory and empirical observations, sparked rigorous debate on the unintended consequences of Open Science policies and the complexities of operationalising transparency in research.

Open Science as a Public Good: Incentives and Misalignments

Maniades framed Open Science as a public good—a concept where societal benefits outweigh individual gains. While Open Science practices like data sharing and reproducibility promise greater scrutiny and faster scientific progress, he argued that the personal costs for researchers often exceed immediate rewards. This misalignment, he noted, risks creating resistance, particularly in disciplines where transparency demands impose significant workloads.

“When you impose principles of transparency on certain disciplines, researchers may feel disproportionately burdened compared to others. This can breed perceptions of injustice,” Maniades observed, citing tensions in fields like biomedicine versus humanities.

Despite progress—such as a rise in raw data sharing from <1% to ~20% in biomedicine over the past decade—he cautioned that progress remains uneven. “Open Science incentivisation often benefits from ‘carrots’ like career advancement, but without systemic recognition, these remain fragile,” he added.

Publishers and Industry: Hijacking the Open Science Agenda?

A critical portion of Maniades’ analysis focused on how publishers and private industry have adapted—and arguably distorted—Open Science principles. While Open Access (OA) mandates have increased accessibility, he questioned whether exorbitant article processing charges (APCs) truly serve the ethos of openness:

“Is it truly Open Access if publishing costs thousands of euros? Publishers have embraced OA models, but often in ways that prioritise profit over scrutiny”.

He highlighted concerning trends in peer review quality, recounting a personal experience of being asked to review a biomedical paper despite lacking domain expertise—a practice he called “casual” and detrimental to scientific rigour.

On industry engagement, Maniades expressed scepticism about reconciling corporate secrecy with Open Science ideals, referencing the Theranos scandal as a cautionary tale:

“Theranos claimed groundbreaking discoveries without peer-reviewed validation. This exemplifies the risks when private research bypasses scrutiny”.

Institutional Heterogeneity and Unintended Consequences

Maniades emphasised the difficulty of implementing uniform Open Science policies across diverse disciplines. For instance, reproducibility requirements in experimental economics may demand extensive documentation, whereas humanities research faces different transparency benchmarks. Without disciplinary adjustments, he warned, top-down mandates risk resentment and inconsistent adoption.

He also critiqued the vagueness of Open Science definitions, which allow institutions to “hijack” the movement for reputational gains without substantive change. “Without clear, enforceable standards, Open Science becomes a buzzword rather than a transformative practice,” he argued.

Case Studies and Participant Reflections

The Q&A session deepened these themes. Alina Irimia of UEFISCDI shared a cautionary example from Romania, where a researcher exploited Open Access incentives to claim 60 publication awards in one year, sparking a national scandal. “This exposed how well-intentioned policies can backfire without robust checks,” she noted, underscoring the need for capacity-building and nuanced oversight.

Participants agreed that scrutiny mechanisms—such as third-party replication services—are essential but underfunded. Maniades proposed allocating dedicated funds for independent verification, stressing that “reproducibility cannot be an afterthought”.

Pathways Forward: Balancing Idealism and Pragmatism

While acknowledging Open Science’s transformative potential, Maniades urged institutions to anticipate unintended consequences and adopt flexible frameworks. Key recommendations included:

• Discipline-specific guidelines: Tailoring transparency requirements to field-specific workflows.
• Enhanced peer review infrastructure: Investing in reviewer training and domain-matched assignments.
• Incentive realignment: Linking Open Science practices to career progression and grant eligibility.

The session closed with consensus on Open Science as a “learning process”—one requiring continuous dialogue between funders, institutions, and researchers. As Maniades concluded:

“We must balance idealism with pragmatism. Open Science isn’t a checkbox exercise; it’s a cultural shift demanding patience, resources, and collaboration”.

The OPUS initiative, through such critical exchanges, continues to navigate these complexities, striving to embed Open Science as a sustainable pillar of research integrity—one peer-reviewed paper, policy revision, and institutional partnership at a time.

Panagiotis discussed the philosophical and practical tension between personal ambition and the collective ethos of Open Science. Both highlighted the need for scrutiny, transparency, and better incentive structures, while cautioning against superficial compliance or performative policies.

Collaboration as a Driver of Change

Throughout the session, one theme remained constant: collaboration as a driver of change. From creating cross-disciplinary networks to forging new standards for researcher assessment, the OPUS Mutual Learning format has proven essential in bridging the gap between theory and practice.

As discussions concluded, participants reaffirmed their collective mission: to make research not only more open and inclusive, but also more meaningful, measurable, and mission-driven.

On 9 April 2025, over 120 participants, including industry leaders, researchers, and public sector representatives, gathered virtually for the OPUS Industry Workshop, hosted by the OPUS Consortium in collaboration with YERUN, Technopolis Group Belgium, the University of Cyprus, and ICoRSA. The workshop explored the transformative power of Open Science (OS) and Open Innovation (OI) in fostering cross-sector partnerships and driving industrial advancement.

Gareth O’Neill, Principal Consultant on Open Science at Technopolis Group Belgium, opened the event by emphasising the increasing fluidity between academia and industry. He outlined the objectives of the OPUS Project, a European-funded initiative aimed at reforming research assessment systems to incentivise practices aligned with Open Science principles.

“Our initiatives aim to create frameworks that benefit both sectors while maintaining scientific integrity and driving innovation forward,” O’Neill stated. He encouraged active participation throughout the session, introducing interactive tools like Mentimeter to engage attendees.

Key Themes from Mentimeter Responses

Participants shared their perspectives on Open Science and industry through a series of interactive questions:

• Open Science: Frequently associated with transparency, innovation, collaboration, open access, and reproducibility. However, some scepticism emerged with mentions like “extra work” and “hot topic.”
• Industry: Predominantly linked to profit, money-making, innovation, productivity, and intellectual property.

These responses highlighted contrasting priorities between academia’s focus on openness and industry’s emphasis on commercial outcomes—a recurring theme throughout the workshop.

The OPUS Project is a European-funded initiative that has been active for just over three years and is now entering its final six months. It is a coordination and support action funded with nearly two million euros, aimed at developing measures to reform the assessment of research, with a particular emphasis on open science. The project seeks to evaluate researchers beyond traditional metrics, moving away from the focus on peer-reviewed publications, high journal impact factors, and sheer publication numbers. Instead, it aims to reward and recognise other valuable contributions researchers make, such as:

• Data management and sharing
• Teaching, training, and student supervision
• Non-peer-reviewed publications
• Conference talks and lectures

The overarching goal is to include actions that promote open science, recognising that if such activities are not acknowledged, researchers are unlikely to prioritise them. By embedding open science principles into the assessment system, the project hopes to encourage researchers to make more of their work accessible.

European Commission Framework

In 2015, the European Commission introduced three key concepts:

1. Open Innovation: Encouraging collaboration among diverse stakeholders to create and deliver products and services through cross-sectoral interaction. This concept is heavily focused on application and technology.
2. Open Science: Facilitating collaborative research through digital tools, enabling openness at varying levels—from full access to partial or none—with the aim of accelerating societal benefits from research outcomes.
3. Open to the World: Although less frequently referenced in recent Commission vocabulary, this concept remains significant for fostering global collaboration, societal impact, and geopolitical relevance.

Key Aspects of Open Science

Open science often begins with open access to research publications—whether in preprint form, reviewed format, or finalised versions. There are various levels and types of open access, some requiring payment while others do not.

Open Innovation in Pharmaceutical Industry: AstraZeneca’s Approach to Advancing Healthcare Through Collaboration

AstraZeneca’s Open Innovation program represents a significant shift in how pharmaceutical companies engage with external researchers, fostering a collaborative environment that benefits industry, academia, and ultimately patients. Dr Kelly Gray, Director of Open Innovation at AstraZeneca, provides comprehensive insights into how this program works to push the boundaries of science through open collaboration.

Career Journey and Program Origins

Dr Kelly Gray began her career following what she describes as a “standard track,” earning a biological sciences degree from the University of East Anglia, including a year abroad at the University of Miami. She continued at UEA to complete her PhD in cell biology with a focus on cardiovascular biology. After several short postdoctoral projects, she secured a five-year research position at the University of Cambridge investigating DNA damage in cardiovascular disease, which allowed her to explore research in greater depth.

Her path shifted when AstraZeneca relocated from northern England to the Cambridge Biomedical Research campus. Initially joining the company in safety sciences for cardiovascular projects, Dr Gray later moved away from bench work by securing an opportunity with the Emerging Innovations team. This role involved repositioning molecules, external collaboration, and advancing new ideas with external researchers, setting her on the path toward open innovation and open science.

“My role now is really focused towards enabling scientific collaborations with external researchers and hopefully driving forward open science principles,” Dr Gray explains.

AstraZeneca’s Open Innovation Program Structure

Launched in 2015, AstraZeneca’s Open Innovation program functions as an externally facing initiative that shares tools, technologies, data, and expertise from their internal scientific community. The program operates across four primary modules:

1. Preclinical research with external researchers
2. Clinical research focusing on repositioning existing assets
3. Cosolve program designed to address tough challenges through collaboration
4. Idea incubator supporting mentoring and startup philosophy

These modules collectively serve three key strategic areas:

• Impacting AstraZeneca’s portfolio through developing the next generation of medicines
• Demonstrating scientific leadership through collaboration
• Accessing and engaging with external scientific expertise to address key scientific challenges

“Innovations across all sectors are progressing with such pace that I don’t think there’s any possible way that with the expertise you have in-house, you could address those challenges. So you need to spread out and use and leverage that external network to be able to really drive innovations forward,” Dr Gray emphasizes.

The Collaborative Approach

The fundamental idea behind AstraZeneca’s open innovation is to bring together external scientists who have unique expertise, whether access to patients, specialized assays, or niche research areas, and combine this with AstraZeneca’s internal expertise, facilities, and therapeutic tools developed over nearly three decades.

Dr Gray acknowledges that establishing these collaborations has not been a simple process, noting the “paranoia” that can exist on both sides: “AstraZeneca are worried that they’re going to share their proprietary information with external researchers and scientists. But then the scientists themselves are worried that they’re going to share ideas with AstraZeneca, who will translate them at pace and move them forward and make money from them.”

The program’s foundations were established approximately 15 years ago when the Medical Research Council (MRC) in the UK and the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) in the US approached various pharmaceutical companies about sharing discontinued assets with researchers to explore new indications. This initiative proved highly successful and laid the groundwork for AstraZeneca’s current open innovation program.

Evolution of the Open Innovation Program

In 2014, AstraZeneca launched a web portal for their open innovation program after identifying shareable resources across the business, including tool compounds, compound libraries, and screening technologies. The company has increasingly focused on crowdsourcing solutions to challenges—a key aspect of open science that enables diverse groups to contribute ideas.

From 2022 onward, AstraZeneca has been using open collaboration to support its strategic vision, emphasizing co-creation rather than appropriating external ideas. The company aims to align this work with its catalyst network in the commercial organization to bring ideas to clinical application for patient benefit.

Benefits for Multiple Stakeholders

The open innovation approach creates advantages across multiple stakeholders:

For researchers:

• Access to high-quality tools and technologies
• Publication opportunities in high-impact journals
• Support for grant funding applications
• Opportunity to develop medicines of the future
• Enhanced scientific leadership and reputation
• Network development for future opportunities

For AstraZeneca:

• New external perspectives and innovative ideas
• Expanded research into areas outside core focus
• Early identification of potential safety issues
• Accelerated drug development

For patients:

• New scientific advances that can lead to better medicines
• Increased focus on areas with high unmet needs

“We are very keen to publish the science that comes out of these collaborations. And a lot of our researchers publish in high impact and high quality journals, and we really encourage that. We’ve also got a small fund where we can pay for open access journal articles to be published,” Dr Gray notes.

Collaboration Examples

Two specific collaboration examples illustrate how the program works in practice:

Spinal Cord Injury Research Collaboration

A particularly noteworthy aspect of the program is its openness to researchers at all career stages. Dr Gray emphasizes that submissions are evaluated based on scientific quality rather than the researcher’s seniority: “If you’re a PhD student with a really great idea, you want to get access to a tool compound to test your hypothesis, we will consider that in the same way that we consider an application or a submission from a very well established researcher.”

In one example, AstraZeneca provided Professor Zubair Ahmed access to a high-quality ATM inhibitor compound (AZD1390) to investigate its potential in spinal cord injury—an indication outside AstraZeneca’s core therapeutic areas. The researcher conducted in vitro studies over 12 months, generated positive data, and published findings in Clinical and Translational Medicine in July 2022. This collaborative relationship has continued for 7-8 years, with the researcher now exploring different indications with the same molecule.

RNA Structure and Folding Prediction

Through the Cosolve program’s crowdsourcing approach, AstraZeneca identified Dr. Walter Moss to collaborate on RNA structure and folding prediction—an innovative capability they couldn’t develop internally. In this 12-month co-development project, both parties contributed expertise to create a joint solution. The collaboration benefits the researcher by enhancing reputation and visibility while accelerating AstraZeneca’s drug development pipeline and advancing science through publication.

Sustainability Initiatives

Beyond the core focus on repositioning molecules and sharing tools, AstraZeneca has incorporated sustainability into its open innovation efforts. The company has led sustainability-focused challenges around recycling, green chemistry, and health equity for Africa, broadening both the researchers engaged and the types of studies conducted.

Intellectual Property Considerations

A critical aspect of the program concerns intellectual property rights. Dr Gray clarifies that every research project operates under a material transfer agreement, with a clear understanding that IP generated from the project belongs to the researcher, while AstraZeneca maintains first right of negotiation to license it.

“If IP is generated from that project, the researcher owns that IP. And then we have the first right of negotiation to license that. So you are getting something out of this collaboration. This is your idea. We are not trying to take your idea. We are trying to enable your idea,” Dr Gray explains.

Building Trust Between Partners

The success of open innovation hinges on establishing trust between the company and external researchers. Dr Gray notes how this trust develops through transparency about what the program offers, what it aims to achieve, and what it can and cannot deliver.

She observes a spectrum of engagement levels among researchers: “There’s some people that come and say ‘I don’t want to work with you, I just want access to the tools.’ And we say, ‘but we can offer more than that. We can offer expertise, advice, making sure that the experiments are fit for purpose, that they’re translatable, that they’re going to have opportunities down the line.'”

While some researchers maintain a fixed mindset about limited engagement, others like Professor Zubair Ahmed have developed deep collaborative relationships over many years, actively seeking additional data and considering how to leverage AstraZeneca for their research purposes.

Data Sharing and Open Access

Regarding what can be shared in collaborations, Dr Gray explains that once under a confidentiality agreement, there are few limitations. The company increasingly challenges the default stance on data restrictions, asking: “What can’t you share, and why can’t you share it?”

For anonymized data or publicly available molecules, the argument for restrictions becomes weaker. AstraZeneca has pathways for sharing preclinical data through open innovation and clinical trial data through separate channels.

Dr Gray also notes that through her role leading the European Union’s Innovative Health Initiative public-private partnerships, she sees a strong focus on open science principles: “Everything keeps within the consortia for the kind of 5-year term of the project. But then the idea is that all of that data becomes open access at the end of the research project.”

Valuable Tools And Technologies For Researchers

AstraZeneca’s open innovation program represents a win-win approach for multiple stakeholders. For external researchers, it provides access to valuable tools and technologies otherwise unavailable. For AstraZeneca, it offers a pathway to innovative ideas from external researchers. Most importantly, for patients, it creates new scientific advances that can lead to better medicines.

As the pharmaceutical industry continues to evolve from its historically closed-door approach to more collaborative models, programs like AstraZeneca’s open innovation initiative demonstrate how open science principles can accelerate medical advances while creating value for all participants in the research ecosystem.

“Twenty years ago, Pharma was a closed door. We didn’t share anything. We didn’t want to collaborate. We knew everything. But we very much understand now that that isn’t the case. Great research is happening outside of AstraZeneca, and we want to be able to work together to actually advance that much more quickly,” concludes Dr Gray.

See the full presentation here.

Public-Private R&D Initiatives: CERN’s Collaborative R&D and Innovations

João Fernandes, a senior staff member at CERN with over 25 years of experience in innovation and industry collaboration, delivered an in-depth presentation on the laboratory’s approach to public-private research partnerships. Drawing from CERN’s legacy of large-scale scientific collaborations, Fernandes outlined how these initiatives accelerate technological advancements while addressing fundamental challenges in particle physics and beyond. The talk emphasized CERN’s role as a hub for open science, its mechanisms for engaging industry partners, and the broader societal benefits of these collaborations.

Introduction to CERN’s Mission and Infrastructure

CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, is the world’s largest particle physics laboratory, located near Geneva, Switzerland. Its primary mission is to investigate the fundamental particles and laws governing the universe through cutting-edge experiments like those conducted at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The LHC, a 27-kilometer underground particle accelerator, collides protons at nearly the speed of light, generating up to one billion collisions per second.These collisions produce approximately one petabyte of data per second, necessitating advanced computing infrastructure for storage, processing, and analysis.

The laboratory operates as a global collaboration, with 24 member states and partnerships spanning over 15,000 researchers, including staff, graduate students, and visiting scientists from universities and institutes worldwide. This international ecosystem forms the backbone of CERN’s research program, which extends beyond particle physics to drive innovations with far-reaching societal impacts.

Innovation at CERN: From Fundamental Research to Societal Applications

CERN’s innovations emerge from solving the technical challenges inherent to its research. A seminal example is the invention of the World Wide Web by Tim Berners-Lee in 1989, developed to facilitate information sharing among physicists. This breakthrough underscores how CERN’s needs often catalyze technologies that redefine global communication. Similarly, advancements in medical imaging, such as high-resolution 3D X-ray systems and radiotherapy techniques, stem from particle accelerator technologies refined at CERN.

Recent innovations leverage artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to optimize research processes. For instance, machine learning algorithms are applied to control systems for steering particle beams in the LHC, while reinforcement learning models are being tested for applications in healthcare, including cancer research and medical supply chain optimization. These efforts highlight CERN’s commitment to translating fundamental research into practical solutions across disciplines.

Mechanisms for Collaborative R&D

Example 1: The ARCHIVER Project

The ARCHIVER project, funded by the European Commission, exemplifies CERN’s approach to pre-commercial procurement (PCP). This initiative brought together four major research organizations—CERN (high-energy physics), DESY (photon science), EMBL (life sciences), and PIC (astronomy)—to co-develop large-scale data preservation solutions with industry partners. The project followed a phased structure:

1. Phase 1: Development of a common architectural framework for data preservation.
2. Phase 2: Pilot testing of solutions across diverse scientific use cases.
3. Phase 3: Deployment in production-like environments to validate scalability.

Two SMEs, LIBNOVA (Spain) and Arkivum (UK), successfully delivered services tailored to the needs of big science, accelerating their product development timelines by an estimated five years. The project received recognition for fostering cross-sector collaboration and advancing data preservation technologies.

Example 2: Quantum Technology Initiative (QTI)

Launched as a five-year research program, the QTI explores quantum technologies for high-energy physics while fostering broader societal applications. The initiative is structured around four pillars:

1. Technology Platforms: Hardware development for quantum systems.
2. Networks and Communication: Quantum-safe communication protocols.
3. Quantum Computing: Hybrid classical-quantum computing solutions.
4. Algorithms: Development of quantum-specific computational methods.

The QTI operates as a centralized hub, aligning projects with strategic objectives while maintaining clear intellectual property (IP) frameworks. This structure ensures transparency in commercial contracts and R&D collaborations, enabling seamless integration of industry expertise into CERN’s quantum research.

Benefits of Public-Private Collaboration

For Industry Partners

• Access to Cutting-Edge Research: Companies gain exposure to unique datasets and research challenges, such as the petabyte-scale data generated by the LHC, which drive innovation in data processing and storage technologies.
• Risk Mitigation: Collaborative projects like ARCHIVER reduce development risks by providing validated use cases and early feedback from scientific end-users.
• Market Acceleration: Participation in CERN initiatives shortens time-to-market for products, as seen in LIBNOVA’s and Arkivum’s rapid advancement of data preservation tools.

For Public Research Organizations

• Technology Transfer: CERN’s collaborations bridge the gap between theoretical research and practical applications, as demonstrated by spin-offs in medical imaging and AI.
• Ecosystem Building: Partnerships foster networks connecting academia, startups, SMEs, and large corporations, creating synergies that address complex societal challenges.
• Open Science Advocacy: Initiatives like Zenodo, CERN’s open-access repository, promote data sharing across disciplines, extending the laboratory’s impact beyond particle physics.

Challenges in Open Science and Data Sharing

While CERN has established a policy for open science, practical challenges that still persist are progressively addressed. CERN experimental collaborations are committed to make their research data publicly available, taking into account the respective data and access policies. All data are released with persistent identifiers. Data and associated data services apply open and FAIR principles. For experimental data releases, CC0 waivers are applied as standard, researchers and experiments are expected to develop data management plans for their research activities. CERN’s open data portal is a repository enabling large scale experimental data releases of curated datasets and associated products which is a good example of a step toward broader accessibility. Fernandes emphasized that generally speaking, open science still requires cultural shifts within the research community, where competition for funding and publications often discourages data sharing in several research domains.

Another aspect found important in this discussion, is the use of standards for metadata and ensure compliance with FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) principles. As Barend Mons, a proponent of the FAIR framework, noted during the Q&A, “FAIR data is not necessarily open data—it’s about structured metadata enabling reuse, even for sensitive or protected datasets”. This distinction is critical for balancing openness with ethical and practical constraints in fields like genomics and healthcare.

Leveraging Industry Expertise To Solve Technical Challenges

CERN’s collaborative R&D initiatives demonstrate how public-private partnerships can drive innovation while advancing fundamental science. By leveraging industry expertise to solve technical challenges, the laboratory accelerates discoveries with applications ranging from quantum computing to medical imaging. These efforts align with CERN’s mission to benefit society, exemplified by open science platforms like Zenodo and its commitment to ethical data stewardship.

As Fernandes concluded, “Our collaborations are not just about advancing particle physics—they’re about creating ecosystems where academia and industry jointly tackle humanity’s grand challenges”. In an era of increasing interdisciplinary complexity, CERN’s model offers a blueprint for fostering innovation through transparency, shared resources, and mutual respect between public and private sectors.

See the presentation here.

Biologist turned entrepreneur – journey of a neurotech startup, Petra Szeszula, CEO, BrainZell

Petra Szeszula, CEO of BrainZell, explored the evolving role of researchers who operate across both academic and industrial settings. Her insights shed light on the unique challenges and opportunities faced by professionals navigating these two distinct environments.

Petra is a pioneering force behind BrainZell, a startup born from cutting-edge research at the prestigious Karolinska Institute in Sweden. Petra, alongside her colleague, co-founded BrainZell to tackle some of the most pressing challenges in neuroscience and the pharmaceutical industry. Today, she shared her inspiring journey and the work her company is undertaking.

From Economics to Neuroscience: Petra’s Unconventional Journey

Petra’s academic background is anything but typical. Initially, she began her studies in economics and management, but her heart was always drawn to the sciences. Driven by a deep curiosity about the natural world, she transitioned into the study of biology and microbiology, eventually focusing on the complexities of neuroscience. This shift marked the start of what would become her true passion and life’s work.

A Passion for Science Meets Innovation

Throughout her career, Petra has had the unique opportunity to work with some of the most advanced technologies in the field. She is particularly excited about the potential these innovations have to disrupt the pharmaceutical industry. With an unshakable belief that these breakthroughs could revolutionize the way we understand and treat neurological disorders, Petra co-founded BrainZell.

In her own words, Petra describes this moment as a culmination of years of dedication and vision. Her journey from an economics student to a leading figure in neuroscience is a testament to the power of following one’s true calling and passion.

Petra spoke about the critical importance of value creation when founding a startup, particularly in the life sciences sector. She explained how the pharmaceutical industry depends on patents and exclusivity periods to generate profits that sustain further research and development. Drawing from her own experience with BrainZell, a biotech startup, she highlighted the specific challenges associated with deep tech ventures. These include the need for specialised equipment, highly trained experts, and substantial financial investment.

The Problem in Neuroscience

The challenge we are addressing lies at the intersection of neuroscience and drug development. In this field, the success rate of new medicines reaching the market is alarmingly low—only 6% of drugs that work on animals are effective in humans. This discrepancy is a significant problem for several reasons:

• Mental Health Disorders: Over a billion people worldwide suffer from mental health disorders.
• Neurodegenerative Diseases: Conditions such as dementia, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s are becoming more prevalent as populations age.
• Economic Impact: The inefficiency in translating animal studies to human applications results in wasted resources and delayed treatments for patients in need.

BrainZell Solution: Human Brain Organoids

At BrainZell, we have developed an innovative solution: human brain organoids, which are miniature brain-like tissues grown from human-induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). These organoids simulate specific parts of the human brain and serve as a powerful tool for drug testing and development.

Here’s how it works:

1. Stem Cell Source: We start with iPSCs derived from skin biopsies or blood samples from any individual.
2. Differentiation: In our laboratory, we guide these stem cells to develop into brain-like tissues that mimic the prefrontal cortex.
3. Functionality: Within weeks, these organoids contain functional neurons capable of mimicking human brain activity.

What sets us apart is our ability to produce these organoids at scale, making them suitable for industrial applications. Our primary customers are pharmaceutical companies developing new medicines.

Benefits of Brain Organoids

Our technology offers several advantages over traditional methods:

• Increased Efficiency: Drug testing can be conducted faster and on a much larger scale compared to animal models.
• Improved Accuracy: Human brain organoids provide data that is more directly translatable to human patients.
• Ethical Considerations: By reducing reliance on animal testing, we address ethical concerns while improving scientific outcomes.

Challenges in Building a Startup

Founding a company like BrainZell requires navigating several challenges:

1. Value Creation: As you’ve heard from others today, success in life sciences is driven by creating value—both for patients and society at large.
2. Commercialization: Many research findings end up unused in drawers or journals. To make an impact, they must be translated into products or services that can reach the market.
3. Funding: Developing deep-tech solutions like ours is resource-intensive. We have secured equity investments and filed patents to protect our intellectual property.
4. Talent: Our team consists of highly trained experts—most of whom hold PhDs or postdoctoral experience.

Intellectual Property and Patents

In the pharmaceutical industry, patents play a crucial role in sustaining innovation:

• Patents provide exclusivity for approximately 20 years, allowing companies to recoup their investments during this period.
• Without patents, competitors could replicate innovations without bearing the associated R&D costs.

At BrainZell, protecting the intellectual property ensures that they can continue developing cutting-edge solutions while maintaining commercial viability.

Collaborations and Partnerships

Collaboration is essential for innovation:

• We partner with researchers, universities, and other companies to advance our work.
• Joint grant applications allow us to pool resources and expertise.
• Early-stage ideas can often be shared openly within partnerships before transitioning to more protected phases as they approach commercialization.

Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

For those considering transitioning from academia to entrepreneurship:

1. Build Your Network: Connect with mentors, transfer offices at universities, incubators, or accelerators.
2. Seek Funding: Start with soft funding like grants before approaching investors such as business angels or venture capitalists.
3. Be Resilient: Entrepreneurship requires persistence, creativity, optimism, and adaptability.

Sweden’s unique “professor’s privilege” policy allows researchers to own their intellectual property—a model that has fostered innovation and startup growth in the country.

See the presentation here.

The Role of Biotechnology Post-COVID

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of biotechnology and life sciences in addressing global challenges. Public recognition of these fields has grown significantly, creating new opportunities for startups like ours.

Where scientific research meets entrepreneurial spirit

In conclusion, BrainZell represents what is possible when scientific research meets entrepreneurial spirit. By leveraging cutting-edge technology like human brain organoids, we aim to transform neuroscience research and improve outcomes for patients worldwide.

Takeaways: What We Need To Know How to Balance Between Public and Private Sector Interests in Research and Innovation?

The conversation centred on the evolving landscape of open science, industry-academia collaboration, and the delicate balance between public and private sector interests in research and innovation. Gareth O’Neill, Open Science Principal at Technopolis Group and moderator of the discussion, guided the participants through critical topics. He posed questions about the practical benefits of open science for researchers transitioning out of academia and the challenges of balancing openness with intellectual property protection. Petra Szeszula, CEO of BrainZell, highlighted that open science is particularly advantageous in early-stage research and prototyping but stressed the necessity of protecting intellectual property as projects advance towards commercialisation. Dr Kelly Gray from AstraZeneca echoed these sentiments, noting that smaller companies face greater difficulties in striking this balance compared to larger organisations like AstraZeneca, which actively participates in public-private partnerships such as EIT Health.

A key theme was the role of public-private collaborations in fostering innovation. João Fernandes from CERN shared insights from CERN’s extensive experience in such partnerships, emphasising the importance of clear agreements to align objectives between public institutions focused on fundamental research and private companies driven by profit motives. He pointed out the cultural divide between sectors, with public institutions operating on longer timelines while private companies demand quicker results. Gareth O’Neill referenced examples like Philips opening up discontinued research for external development, illustrating how larger organisations can benefit from open science practices while maintaining control over intellectual property. Kelly Gray added that AstraZeneca had overcome Brexit-related challenges to participate more fully in initiatives like the Innovative Health Initiative, focused on large-scale collaborative research.

The discussion also touched on global trends in open science policies and their implications for data security. Gareth O’Neill noted international efforts, including UNESCO’s global initiatives, aimed at promoting open science across nations. However, he raised concerns about the increasing volume of open data being utilised by AI algorithms and potential security risks associated with cross-border data sharing. João Fernandes stressed the importance of addressing these risks early in collaborations to avoid complications later. The participants agreed that while open science fosters collaboration and innovation, careful consideration must be given to intellectual property protection, security concerns, and aligning goals between diverse stakeholders to ensure sustainable progress in research and development.

The University of Cyprus (UCY), in partnership with YERUN (Young European Research Universities Network) and OPUS Consortium partners, is proudly hosting the final Mutual Learning session as part of the OPUS project. This collaborative gathering marks an important step forward in the shared mission to modernise researcher assessment and embed Open Science at the heart of academic and research institutions across Europe.

The OPUS project has united five forward-thinking organisations: three research-performing (NOVA University of Lisbon, University of Cyprus, and University of Rijeka) and two research-funding (UEFISCDI Romania and the Research Council of Lithuania). Together, they tested and refined the Researcher Assessment Framework (RAF), a model designed to foster fairness, inclusivity, and openness in research evaluation.

At the core of the Mutual Learning session lies the exchange of insights from pilot implementations, collaborative reflections, and co-creation of future pathways for scaling and sustaining RAF’s interventions.

Programme Today
The day opens with a keynote on UCY’s journey in Open Science, delivered by Vasiliki (Sylvia) V. Koukounidou, Coordinator of the Digitisation and Archives Office, followed by detailed updates from all five pilot institutions.

The agenda also includes a plenary session about critical questions around implementation and sustainability. This discussion empowers participants to share successes, voice challenges, and shape the roadmap for long-term adoption. Questions up for discussion include potential improvements to the RAF, learnings from the pilot phase, and strategies for institutionalising Open Science practices.

The afternoon resumes with a keynote by Professor Zacharias Maniades, ERA Chair in Science and Innovation Policy at UCY’s SInnoPSis Group, who will explore the nexus of Open Science and researcher evaluation. Other highlights include an update on gender and trust workshops from Raquel Vega (YERUN), and plans for the upcoming Final Summit in Paris, organised by UNESCO and ICoRSA, which will be presented by Juliana Chávez (UNESCO). At the end, there is a concluding session on co-monitoring and the alignment of cross-work package activities, led by Gareth O’Neill and Emma Day (TGB and Vitae).

The OPUS Mutual Learning exercises have quickly become a cornerstone for mutual exchange, driving institutional change and fostering an evidence-based, values-driven approach to research assessment. This Cyprus session reaffirms the project’s commitment to creating a more open, equitable, and impactful research ecosystem across Europe.

Industry leaders, researchers, and public sector representatives gathered today for the OPUS Industry Workshop and discussed how Open Science and Open Innovation are reshaping business-academia collaborations and driving industrial advancement. The virtual event attracted more than 120 participants eager to explore the transformative potential of open approaches in fostering strategic partnerships across sectors.

Cross-Sector Collaboration Takes Centre Stage

The OPUS Consortium, under the leadership of YERUN, Technopolis Group Belgium, the University of Cyprus, and ICoRSA, organised the online workshop that brought together experts from diverse backgrounds. The workshop showcased real-world applications of Open Science (OS) and Open Innovation (OI) principles and best practices for researchers navigating both academic and industrial environments.

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“The boundaries between academia and industry are increasingly fluid,” said Gareth O’Neill (Principal Consultant on Open Science at Technopolis Group, Belgium) during his introduction of the OPUS Project. “Our initiatives aim to create frameworks that benefit both sectors while maintaining scientific integrity and driving innovation forward.”

Industry Share Insights

The workshop featured presentations from several prominent figures who offered their perspectives on open collaboration models.

AstraZeneca’s Open Innovation Programme and Academic Collaboration

Kelly Gray, Director of Open Innovation at AstraZeneca, delivered an insightful presentation titled “Advancing Healthcare: Pushing the Boundaries of Science with Open Collaboration.” She highlighted how pharmaceutical research benefits significantly from transparent data sharing and collaborative approaches, which are central to AstraZeneca’s Open Innovation programme.

Kelly elaborated on the programme’s mission to advance healthcare through open collaboration with external researchers. By sharing tools, technologies, data, and expertise globally, AstraZeneca facilitates partnerships that focus on preclinical and clinical research, repurposing existing assets, and addressing complex challenges through joint efforts. She stressed that this collaborative approach enables AstraZeneca to enhance its portfolio, showcase scientific leadership, and tap into external expertise.
The programme has yielded substantial results, including numerous publications, exploration of new disease areas, and collaborations spanning 40 countries. These partnerships benefit both AstraZeneca and external researchers by providing access to valuable resources, funding opportunities, and the potential for high-impact publications.
Kelly also underscored the importance of building trust and overcoming initial barriers to collaboration. She discussed the use of material transfer agreements as a mechanism to safeguard intellectual property while fostering innovation. Additionally, she highlighted the advantages of early identification of safety concerns in research projects.
During the Q&A session, a question was raised about the types of research outputs that can be made open in industry collaborations. Kelly responded by explaining that most data can be shared within the boundaries of confidentiality agreements, ensuring that sensitive information remains protected while enabling meaningful collaboration.
AstraZeneca’s Open Innovation programme exemplifies how transparent and structured collaboration can drive scientific progress while benefiting both industry and academia.

Public-private R&D Initiatives: CERN’s Collaborative R&D and Innovations

João Fernandes, Project Specialist at CERN, delivered a compelling presentation on collaborative public-private R&D initiatives, drawing from CERN’s extensive experience in managing large-scale international scientific collaborations with industrial partners. He provided concrete examples of how these partnerships had accelerated innovation across multiple fields.

As a senior member of CERN’s staff, João discussed the organisation’s mission to explore fundamental particles and the laws governing the universe. He highlighted the Large Hadron Collider as CERN’s flagship project and addressed the significant challenges it posed in terms of data management. João also reflected on the creation of the World Wide Web at CERN and its transformative impact on society.

In his talk, João emphasised the importance of innovation in tackling societal challenges and showcased several technological advancements that had emerged from CERN’s research. These included breakthroughs in radiotherapy, medical imaging, and machine learning. Furthermore, he elaborated on CERN’s collaboration with industry through mechanisms such as pre-commercial procurement and the CERN Quantum Technology Initiative. He stressed that these collaborations benefited both CERN and the private sector by providing access to cutting-edge research, fostering innovation, and accelerating time-to-market for new technologies.

Open Science and Brain Organoids

The discussion also delved into open science and data sharing practices at CERN, as well as the development of human brain organoids for pharmaceutical research. João explained that while CERN was working towards making more of its data openly accessible, it faced challenges such as embargo periods and the need for scientific validation before releasing data publicly. He reiterated that CERN’s primary mission remained high-energy physics but noted that the organisation was actively developing tools and practices that could be applied to other domains.

Following João’s presentation, Petra Szeszula introduced her startup, BrainZell, which focuses on developing human brain organoids to improve drug development success rates in neuroscience. She explained that these miniature brain tissues could be used to test new molecules on a larger scale and more efficiently than traditional animal testing methods.

The session highlighted how open science principles, combined with innovative technologies like brain organoids, have the potential to transform research practices across disciplines while addressing critical societal needs.

The Evolving Role of Researchers

Adding a new perspective to the discussion, Petra Szeszula, CEO of BrainZell, explored the evolving role of researchers who operate across both academic and industrial settings. Her insights shed light on the unique challenges and opportunities faced by professionals navigating these two distinct environments.
Petra spoke about the critical importance of value creation when founding a startup, particularly in the life sciences sector. She explained how the pharmaceutical industry depends on patents and exclusivity periods to generate profits that sustain further research and development. Drawing from her own experience with BrainZell, a biotech startup, she highlighted the specific challenges associated with deep tech ventures. These include the need for specialised equipment, highly trained experts, and substantial financial investment.

She emphasised that collaborations and partnerships are essential for overcoming these hurdles, as is protecting intellectual property. Petra also discussed various funding options available to startups and outlined the qualities required for entrepreneurial success. She noted that scientists often inherently possess many of these traits, making them well-suited for entrepreneurial endeavours in deep tech industries.

Through her presentation, Petra provided valuable insights into the intersection of academia and industry, offering practical advice for researchers and entrepreneurs seeking to navigate this complex but rewarding landscape.

Machine-Actionable Data: The Foundation for AI-Readiness

Professor Barend Mons, Professor Emeritus at Leiden University and Founding Director of the Leiden Institute for FAIR and Equitable Science (LIFES), provided a critical perspective on data management practices:

“At the basis of all ‘AI-readiness’, necessary for re-analysing big data,

is high-quality, machine-actionable data. Most experimental scientists (though now required, e.g., by EHDS) lack the skills or awareness to make data machine-actionable,” Mons stated during the discussion.

The professor encouraged participants to explore industry-developed tools, specifically mentioning those from SenseScience AI, which simplify FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) data practices and open-data publishing for non-technical users such as clinicians and researchers. “They make it easy ‘even for movie experimental users or medical doctors, to (a) make their data FAIR and (b) publish an open data article about the data themselves.”

Building Bridges Between Sectors

The workshop fostered interactive discussions that examined the shifting dynamics for researchers operating across academic and industrial landscapes. Participants engaged with industry representatives, gaining first-hand insights into successful collaboration models and exploring strategies to strengthen cross-sector partnerships.

Throughout the discussions, speakers repeatedly emphasised the growing importance of open, interdisciplinary approaches in shaping the future of research and innovation. The event demonstrated that as technological challenges grow more complex, the need for transparent collaboration between public and private entities becomes increasingly essential.

Bridging Theoretical Frameworks with Practical Applications of Open Science Principles

As the OPUS Project continues its work, today’s workshop represents an important milestone in bridging theoretical frameworks with practical applications of open science principles in industry settings. The diverse participation, from pharmaceutical companies to physics research organisations, underscores the broad relevance of these approaches across multiple sectors.

Balancing Openness and Competitive Advantage

The discussion explored the delicate balance between sharing research openly and maintaining a competitive edge. It was agreed that finding this balance is crucial, as excessive disclosure could risk losing competitive advantage. The importance of aligning objectives and expectations in collaborations between industry and academic or research institutions was also highlighted, along with the need for clear rules, urgency, and timing in such partnerships.
The conversation touched on the growing adoption of open science policies, raising questions about how open research should be, particularly when it involves data used to train AI algorithms.

The consortium plans to incorporate insights from today’s discussions into its ongoing initiatives, further strengthening the ecosystem for researchers moving between academic and commercial environments while promoting open science practices that benefit society as a whole.

Full report and presentations coming soon.

The OPUS (Open and Universal Science Project) Consortium will hold its Final Conference at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in Paris, bringing together key stakeholders to discuss the future of Open Science and responsible research practices in Europe.

The two-day conference will showcase the main outcomes and key exploitable results of the OPUS project, with experts, policymakers, and research organisations exploring how Open Science policies can be effectively implemented at institutional and national levels. Online participation will be available via Zoom.

Highlights of the Agenda

📅 Day 1 – July 9, 2025

• Opening Remarks by Gustavo Merino, Director of the UNESCO Social Policies Division, and a representative from the European Commission.
• Presentation of Key Findings: Discussions on the Research Assessment Framework and learnings from Open Science Institutional Plans.
• Case Studies & Pilot Actions: Insights from Romania, Lithuania, Portugal, Croatia, and Cyprus on implementing Open Science policies.
• Panel Discussion: Experts from COARA, OPUS, PathOS, EOSC Track, and OSMI will explore how to incentivise Open Science and responsible research and innovation (ORRI) practices at institutional and policy levels.
• Closing Remarks: By UNESCO representatives and OPUS Coordinator Gordon Dalton (PLOCAN).

📅 Day 2 – July 10, 2025

• Focus on Sustainability: Discussions on ensuring the legacy of OPUS and its role in Europe’s transition to more open and responsible research and innovation.
• Collaboration with Networks: Contributions from COARA, VERITY, Global ORRI Network, and Reinforcing (FGB).

This event serves as a crucial milestone in advancing Open Science policies and fostering collaboration between research institutions, policymakers, and funding agencies.

📍 Location: UNESCO, Room IX, Paris, France

Register here!

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This event will highlight the transformative achievements of OPUS, focusing on the development of a comprehensive researcher assessment framework, innovative indicators, and key interventions that promote Open Science.

As OPUS aims to transform research assessment, the conference will feature a detailed presentation of the project’s approach to incentivising and rewarding Open Science practices. Key highlights include new assessment indicators, real-world pilot implementations, and impactful interventions at Research Performing Organisations (RPOs) and Research Funding Organisations (RFOs).

Register here!

Key Themes & Topics

1. Assessing Researchers and Incentivising Open Science
OPUS introduces a set of indicators and metrics that monitor and encourage the adoption of Open Science. Topics will include open access to research outputs, early and open sharing, open peer review, reproducibility, and stakeholder engagement.

2. The Generic Researcher Assessment Framework (RAF)
This framework provides a holistic evaluation system for researchers based on four key categories: Proposal Development, Methods Development, Research Outputs, and Research Impact. It focuses on Open Science contributions and offers a comprehensive system for researcher assessment.

3. Piloting Research Assessment Reforms
The conference will showcase real-world experiences from OPUS pilot programs at three RPOs (Nova University of Lisbon, University of Cyprus, and University of Rijeka) and two RFOs (UEFISCDI in Romania and the Research Council of Lithuania). These pilots, running from January 2024 to June 2025, assess the effectiveness of new metrics and methodologies.

4. Interventions for Open Science Adoption
OPUS has created a series of interventions, including policy changes, resource allocation, repository development, awareness campaigns, and training programs. The impact of these initiatives on fostering Open Science cultures will be evaluated within pilot organisations.

5. Current Progress & Future Steps
As OPUS nears its conclusion in August 2025, the conference will offer insights into the ongoing implementation of Open Science reforms, the development of updated Open Science indicators, and the creation of the Open Science Career Assessment Matrix (OS-CAM2). Policy briefs and recommendations aimed at integrating Open Science into mainstream research assessment practices will also be discussed.

This final conference provides a unique opportunity for policymakers, researchers, and institutional leaders to engage in discussions about the future of research assessment and how to ensure the sustainability of Open Science initiatives in Europe and beyond.

Register here!

Exploring the Future of Open Science and Industry Collaboration

The intersection of academia and industry is a driving force behind innovation. On 9 April 2025, experts in the public and private sectors, as well as researchers with experience in both academia and industry will convene online for the Workshop on Industry and Open Science. This event will delve into the power of Open Science (OS) and Open Innovation (OI) in transforming industries and fostering strategic collaborations.

Hosted under the OPUS Project, the workshop will showcase real-world applications of OS/OI, highlight best practices, and examine the evolving role of researchers navigating both academia and the private sector. Participants will gain first-hand insights from industry pioneers, engage in interactive discussions, and explore pathways to stronger cross-sector partnerships.

Why Attend?

• Discover how Open Science and Open Innovation are shaping industries and driving sustainable growth.
• Learn from experts at AstraZeneca, CERN, and BrainZell, who will share firsthand experiences in leveraging OS/OI.
• Examine collaboration models that are breaking barriers between research institutions and businesses.
• Engage in an interactive discussion and Q&A with leading figures in the field.

Who Should Attend?

This workshop is tailored for:

• Researchers exploring new collaboration opportunities
• Universities seeking to bridge the gap between academia and industry
• Funders looking to maximize research impact
• Policy makers driving innovation frameworks
• Industry experts engaging with Open Science strategies

How to Register

Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of an important conversation on the future of industry-academia collaboration. Please register here.

Please note: While the workshop is held online, some project partners will be present at the University of Cyprus. Researchers on campus are welcome to join in person. 

Join us in shaping the future of Open Science and Innovation!

The Open and Universal Science (OPUS) project is excited to announce its final conference, set to take place in Paris on July 9-10, 2025. This landmark event will highlight the transformative achievements of OPUS, focusing on the development of a comprehensive researcher assessment framework, innovative indicators, and key interventions that promote Open Science.

As OPUS aims to transform research assessment, the conference will feature a detailed presentation of the project’s approach to incentivising and rewarding Open Science practices. Key highlights include new assessment indicators, real-world pilot implementations, and impactful interventions at Research Performing Organisations (RPOs) and Research Funding Organisations (RFOs).

Register here!

Key Themes & Topics

1. Assessing Researchers and Incentivising Open Science
OPUS introduces a set of indicators and metrics that monitor and encourage the adoption of Open Science. Topics will include open access to research outputs, early and open sharing, open peer review, reproducibility, and stakeholder engagement.

2. The Generic Researcher Assessment Framework (RAF)
This framework provides a holistic evaluation system for researchers based on four key categories: Proposal Development, Methods Development, Research Outputs, and Research Impact. It focuses on Open Science contributions and offers a comprehensive system for researcher assessment.

3. Piloting Research Assessment Reforms
The conference will showcase real-world experiences from OPUS pilot programs at three RPOs (Nova University of Lisbon, University of Cyprus, and University of Rijeka) and two RFOs (UEFISCDI in Romania and the Research Council of Lithuania). These pilots, running from January 2024 to June 2025, assess the effectiveness of new metrics and methodologies.

4. Interventions for Open Science Adoption
OPUS has created a series of interventions, including policy changes, resource allocation, repository development, awareness campaigns, and training programs. The impact of these initiatives on fostering Open Science cultures will be evaluated within pilot organisations.

5. Current Progress & Future Steps
As OPUS nears its conclusion in August 2025, the conference will offer insights into the ongoing implementation of Open Science reforms, the development of updated Open Science indicators, and the creation of the Open Science Career Assessment Matrix (OS-CAM2). Policy briefs and recommendations aimed at integrating Open Science into mainstream research assessment practices will also be discussed.

This final conference provides a unique opportunity for policymakers, researchers, and institutional leaders to engage in discussions about the future of research assessment and how to ensure the sustainability of Open Science initiatives in Europe and beyond.

Don’t miss out on this exciting event that will shape the future of research assessment!

Register here!