«Open science has the transformative power to reduce the recognized existing inequalities in science, technology and innovation, thereby also accelerating the progress towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and the fulfilment of the human right to science. But for open science to reach its full potential, it must be a truly global equitable phenomenon». From UNESCO (2023), Open science outlook 1: status and trends around the world, Paris, Unesco, p. 16.
Open Science is a cultural movement that promotes "an approach to the scientific process based on the principles and values of democratic societies such as: collaboration, open and timely sharing of results, methods of knowledge dissemination based on networked digital technologies (using recognized standards and protocols), and transparent methods of validating and evaluating research products to promote their integrity and reproducibility."
According to these principles, research products conducted with public resources must not only be valued, but also freely available and reusable, without economic or legal restrictions and ensuring equal conditions for all researchers, regardless of their affiliation, geographical location, or economic status. This accelerates the process of sharing research results, allowing new knowledge to be generated and developed more rapidly.
Since 2016, the European Union has made open science a strategic objective based on 8 key pillars identified by the European Commission.
FAIR Data. Research products must be Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable.
The practice of research must uphold the shared values of honesty, accountability, respect, and transparency. For this reason, the Ethics Committee and the Code of Ethics are indispensable points of reference.
Bibliometric indicators, citation counts, and impact factors cannot be the sole metrics for evaluating research quality. It's essential to consider "other units of measurement" that can better identify and define the quality and value of research in line with Open Science practices.
The primary goal is unrestricted access to research and its results, and to achieve this, all necessary strategies must be implemented.
Another extremely important aspect is determined by the interaction between researchers and citizens. The mutual influence established between these two components should stimulate the development of research projects, and the support of the "public" should be recognized as a valid scientific contribution.
A significant role, especially in a transitional phase like the present one, is played by training in open science. It's crucial to disseminate knowledge and build new competencies in this area, and institutions must take responsibility for this.
The European Commission invites academic institutions to fully recognize Open Science activities by including them as parameters in career evaluation systems.
Open research means being able to collaborate and operate without barriers. EOSC (European Open Science Cloud), by bringing together national and European institutional initiatives and infrastructures, enables the connection of existing interoperable infrastructures and facilitates international and interdisciplinary research.
Since 2021, UNESCO has been actively promoting Open Science, viewing it as a crucial accelerator for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. This commitment is formalized in the UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science, endorsed by all member states. Italy has also made its voice heard in this movement. In June 2022, the Ministry of University and Research (MUR) published the National Open Science Plan (PNSA). This plan implements Ministerial Decree no. 268 of February 28, 2022, and, together with the National Research Infrastructure Plan (PNIR), completes the documents outlined in the National Research Program 2021-2027.
The objectives of Open Science can be summarized as followsi:
• Enhancing the dissemination of scientific information on an international scale.
• Reducing the duplication of scientific studies.
• Increasing interdisciplinary research, knowledge transfer to businesses, and transparency towards citizens.
• Strengthening the use of scientific contributions for educational purposes.
• Preserving research results.
• Guaranteeing the correct attribution of intellectual property rights.
The "openness" advocated by Open Science is not merely about defining accessibility to research products (open access). It implies a much broader vision that encompasses raw and processed research data (open data), educational materials (open educational resources), The use of open methodologies throughout the entire research cycle, the use of open software (open source), the adoption of open practices in peer review, which is essential for verifying the quality of scientific works (open peer review).
To delve deeper into Open Science, you can explore:
The website open-science.it
The UNESCO Open Science website. UNESCO Open Science. Making science more accessible, inclusive and equitable for the benefit of all.
Fecher B., Friesike S. (2014). Open Science: One Term, Five Schools of Thought. In S. Bartling, S. Friesike (A cura di), Opening Science. The Evolving Guide on How the Internet is Changing Research, Collaboration and Scholarly Publishing (p. 17-47). Springer Nature.