"Open Science is an approach to the scientific process based on collaboration, open and timely sharing of results, dissemination of knowledge through digital network technologies, and transparent methods for validating and evaluating research outputs." — PNR 2021-2027, National Program for Open Science, MIUR, p. 1.
Since the early 2000s, the University of Trento has been embracing and promoting the principles of Open Science. In 2004, it signed the Messina Declaration, an Italian document supporting the Berlin Declaration, and became an advocate of the principles and best practices of Open Access. Through its institutional planning document, the 2022-2027 Strategic Plan, UniTrento commits to supporting and fostering the dissemination of Open Science. The operational implementation plan, under Action 13: Open Science as a Collective Priority, states that “the University aims to enhance the impact of research outputs, increase the visibility of research through scientific dissemination, facilitate the success of national and international funding applications, and develop structured and lasting collaborative networks.” - University of Trento, 2022-2027 Strategic Plan: Actions, pp. 19-20.
The joint efforts of the representatives designated by the Strategic Plan - including the Rector’s Delegate for Open Science, the Directorate of Research Services and Valorization, the Head of Digital Transition, and the Education and Student Services Management - along with the Open Science Committee, the university's official governing body, and specially formed working groups, ensure the implementation of strategies and actions necessary to achieve these objectives.
The University of Trento is also actively involved in national and international initiatives. It has been a member of AISA (Italian Association for the Promotion of Open Science) since 2016, has participated in ICDI (Italian Computing and Data Infrastructure) since 2021, and joined the Italian National Chapter of CoARA in 2023.