About us

Utrecht University wants to promote open science as part of its promise to make science more open and even more reliable, efficient and relevant to society. In order to follow up on the ambition formulated in the strategic plan (pdf), the Rector Magnificus commissioned a task force, supported by a University Library work group, to draft an Open Science Programme for the period 2018-2021.

Open Science Programme for Utrecht University

Utrecht University aims to be at the forefront of open science. Therefore, the Executive Board has launched the Utrecht University Open Science Programme. This programme aims to stimulate and facilitate researchers to put open science into practice. The most recent version (pdf) can be read here.

Highlights Open Science 2020

Click on image for clickable pdf file

Open Science Platform

The Open Science Programme is directed by an Open Science Platform which includes members of the entire Utrecht University research community. Frank Miedema is the Chairman of this platform. Their initial focus will be on further structuring the programme and setting the course of the programme heading for 2021. All faculty deans view open science as a major theme and support the plan.

The Open Science Programme is not a top-down exercise. It should be made clear what is expected of researchers as a group (not as individuals) and leave room for each group to determine its own pacing and priorities. It is important to stay away of thinking in terms of organizational lines, faculties for instance. Instead, the focus is on how research is organized in strategic themes, interdisciplinary research projects, knowledge hubs etc.

Five tracks

The scope of a programme on open science could potentially be very broad. In order to add focus, the UU Open Science Programme is centred around the following five tracks:

No framing

The programme has looked into national and international developments, but is aware that it should not frame open science by rules and policy. The intrinsic motivation is science itself, not policy or guidelines. Open science is an inevitable result of ongoing developments in technology and society as a whole, and in science in particular. Open science promotes accountability, replicability, integrity and openness.