OPUS News

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Clare Viney, a member of the OPUS team from Vitae (OPUS partner), will be presenting on OPUS at an event for the UK Reproducibility Network.

The UK Reproducibility Network OR4 Project is helping UK academic institutions reform how they recognise and reward open research. Focused on processes such as recruitment, promotion and appraisal, it provides both resources to help institutions make progress and a large community working together to achieve this. That community currently includes 49 institutions which together employ over 80,000 researchers.

The OR4 Project will be holding a one-day online event on 19th November, to promote the OR4 resources and the activities of the community. It is open to all, because we are keen to encourage more institutions to join the community. We’re delighted that Lizzie Gadd (Vice Chair of the international CoARA initiative), has agreed to give a keynote talk and be part of a panel later in the day, which will also include Caitlin Carter from the US HELIOS Network and Clare Viney of Vitae and the European OPUS Project. The event will also include many contributions from the existing community and discussions of how to strengthen and expand that.

The OPUS project is organising a workshop on “Gender Equality and Open Science,” scheduled for 5 July 2024, from 12:00 to 14:00 CEST. This workshop aims to foster discussions on open science and gender equality, and to collectively reflect on how to integrate gender equality into open science initiatives.

The workshop, led by gender experts from Vilnius University (VU), is a significant step towards promoting gender-sensitive practices in scientific research.

The initiative follows a comprehensive survey distributed to the OPUS pilot research performing and research funding organisations that aims to gather insights on current gender equality policies, plans and their integration with open science.

The event promises to be an interactive session where participants can share ideas and develop actionable strategies.

This effort is part of the OPUS project’s ongoing commitment to advancing gender equality in academia and fostering an inclusive research environment.

The recent Action Plan by the Commission to implement the ten commitments of the Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment (ARRA) highlights the OPUS project as a particularly relevant initiative for advancing research assessment reform. OPUS will develop a set of interventions for Open Science aimed at creating a system that incentivizes and rewards researchers for adopting practices such as providing open access to research outputs, early and open sharing of research, participating in open peer review, implementing measures to ensure reproducibility of results, and involving all stakeholders in co-creation.

The Action Plan, recently published, outlines the ten commitments of the Action Plan by the Commission to implement the ten commitments of the Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment (ARRA) and highlights the ongoing actions by the European Commission (EC) to address each one, with plans for further implementation in the upcoming Framework Program for Research and Innovation (FP10). The Commission has already made strides in integrating a more comprehensive set of evaluation criteria into the Horizon Europe main Work Programme, which includes assessing Open Science practices, gender considerations, and diverse research outputs. Looking ahead, the Commission has detailed a series of steps to support and advance research assessment reform. These steps include identifying potential improvements in evaluation criteria, enhancing guidance and training for peer reviewers, and fostering mutual learning through collaborations such as the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA).

The Commission has already initiated the funding of projects that contribute to research assessment reforms by evaluating and piloting practices, gathering new evidence, and supporting data sharing and the development of indicators. The following Horizon Europe projects are particularly relevant: PathOS – Open Science Impact Pathways (Research and Innovation action; €1,999,990 EU contribution), OPUS – Open Universal Science (Coordination and Support action; €1,726,898 EU contribution), GraspOS – Next Generation Research Assessment to Promote Open Science (Research and Innovation action; €2,985,441 EU contribution), and SciLake – Democratising and Making Sense of Heterogeneous Scholarly Content (Research and Innovation action; €4,809,450 EU contribution).

The Commission will map the research and innovation projects, as well as other coordination and support actions, already funded through the Horizon Framework Programme that contribute to the reform of research assessment. Additionally, the Commission will identify the main contributions and recommendations from these projects for research assessment reforms and CoARA work, and will also identify potential new research and innovation actions needed.

The implementation of the ten commitments in the Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment (ARRA) will be guided by the ten principles also included in the Agreement:

• Commitment 1: Recognize the diversity of contributions to, and careers in, research in accordance with the needs and nature of the research.
• Commitment 2: Base research assessment primarily on qualitative evaluation, with peer review being central, supported by the responsible use of quantitative indicators.
• Commitment 3: Abandon inappropriate uses of journal- and publication-based metrics in research assessment, particularly the inappropriate uses of Journal Impact Factor (JIF) and h-index.
• Commitment 4: Avoid the use of rankings of research organizations in research assessment.
• Commitment 5: Commit resources to reforming research assessment as needed to achieve the organizational changes committed to.
• Commitment 6: Review and develop research assessment criteria, tools, and processes.
• Commitment 7: Raise awareness of research assessment reform and provide transparent communication, guidance, and training on assessment criteria and processes as well as their use.
• Commitment 8: Exchange practices and experiences to enable mutual learning within and beyond the Coalition.
• Commitment 9: Communicate progress made on adherence to the principles and implementation of the commitments.
• Commitment 10: Evaluate practices, criteria, and tools based on solid evidence and the state-of-the-art in research on research, and make data openly available for evidence gathering and research.

Dear Followers,

We’re thrilled to announce a significant milestone: 1000 followers on both Twitter and LinkedIn! Your support means the world to us, and we’re deeply grateful for each and every one of you who has joined us on our journey advocating for open science.

In this era of rapidly advancing technology and interconnectedness, the importance of open science cannot be overstated. Open science refers to the practice of making scientific research, data, and findings accessible to all levels of society, fostering collaboration, transparency, and innovation. It’s about tearing down the barriers that hinder progress and ensuring that the fruits of scientific inquiry are available to everyone, regardless of their background or affiliation.

Why is open science crucial for mankind? The reasons are manifold:

1. Accelerating Progress: By sharing research openly, scientists can build upon each other’s work more effectively, accelerating the pace of discovery and innovation. This collaborative approach allows us to tackle complex challenges like climate change, public health crises, and technological advancement with greater efficiency and efficacy.
2. Fostering Transparency: Transparency is a cornerstone of the scientific method. Open science promotes transparency not only in the dissemination of research findings but also in the entire research process, from data collection to analysis. This transparency enhances the credibility and reproducibility of scientific research, fostering trust among scientists and the public alike.
3. Empowering Global Participation: Open science democratizes access to knowledge, empowering researchers from diverse backgrounds and regions to contribute to scientific discourse. By breaking down geographic and institutional barriers, open science ensures that talent and insights from around the world can contribute to solving humanity’s most pressing challenges.
4. Driving Innovation: Open science spurs innovation by facilitating interdisciplinary collaboration and serendipitous discoveries. When researchers from different fields come together to share ideas and data, new connections and insights emerge, leading to breakthroughs that might not have been possible otherwise.

With your unwavering support, we pledge to continue championing open science and working towards a future where knowledge knows no bounds. Together, we can build a more equitable, transparent, and collaborative research ecosystem that benefits everyone. 🌟

Thank you for being part of our community and for your commitment to advancing open science. Here’s to the next thousand followers and beyond! 🎉🥳

Photo via Creative Fabrica

Gareth O’Neill, Principal Consultant on Open Science at Technopolis Group Belgium (TGB), a partner in the OPUS project, will present the Researcher Assessment Framework at the NRFU Council meeting on March 28, 2024.

This framework, developed collaboratively within the OPUS project, aims to redefine standards and methodologies for evaluating researchers in the scientific community. The initial draft includes a comprehensive set of indicators covering various researcher activities, with a focus on Open Science. The draft is openly accessible online in the OPUS Project Zenodo Community

The NRFU Council meeting provides a vital platform for discussions on research standards and practices. Discussion of the OPUS Researcher Assessment Framework will inform the NRFU Council’s perspectives and potential initiatives, potentially contributing to research assessment reform in Ukraine. Continued engagement with stakeholders and consultations with the research community will refine the framework further.