Category: INOSC

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The OSCNL Barcamp: New ideas in a historic setting

Last week, the picturesque city of Maastricht played host to the satellite event of the Open Science Festival—an unconference that brought together over 100 open science enthusiasts and professionals. Held in a venue steeped in history, with plenary sessions in an awe-inspiring aula that once served as a church, the day radiated excitement, blending tradition with the forward-looking spirit of open science.

The event started with a lively voting session, where participants pitched topics on the spot, with ideas ranging from citizen science initiatives to the integration of generative AI in research. Attendees cast their votes for the pitches that resonated with them, a total of 24 sessions were held throughout the day. Each session leader, or “chair,” was then given a dedicated classroom, where they guided deep dives into their chosen topic, sparking discussions and collecting fresh perspectives.

Here’s a glimpse at the session topics:

  • Using generative AI for research summaries
  • Designing an open access game called ‘Legacy’
  • Bridging the gap between researchers and data professionals
  • Citizen science
  • How to get institutional support
  • Creating a knowledge base for the open science communities (OSCs)

The aim of these session is for the community to continue to work on these projects. Participation after the Barcamp is also open for people that did not attend the Barcamp. You can explore all sessions in this Etherpad (Open Source alternative for Google Docs).

This diverse lineup of sessions allowed participants to explore new ideas and challenges in open science, each conversation contributing to our collective efforts.

The unconference format was perfectly suited to foster collaboration, allowing attendees to build on each other’s ideas, challenge assumptions, and propose novel solutions. This free-flowing structure allowed every participant to feel not just included but integral to the day’s outcome, giving rise to new collaborations and projects that extended well beyond the walls of the conference rooms.

As the day wound down, everyone gathered in the main hall for well-deserved pizza, where conversations continued to flow, and connections were solidified. This informal closing was a fitting end to a day rooted in spontaneity, creativity, and shared passion.

The barcamp proved that moving open science forward isn’t just about technology or tools—it’s about people coming together, sharing visions, and building a community committed to a future where knowledge is open and accessible to all. So be on the lookout and be sure to join next year’s barcamp!

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Celebrating OSC-NL Open Science Week: Highlights from OSC Twente, OSC Amsterdam, and OSC Leiden

During the OSC-NL National Open Science Week, local Open Science Communities across the Netherlands organized engaging events aimed at promoting open science practices and enhancing collaboration among researchers. Here are some of the highlights.

OSC Twente: Fostering Connections and Building Awareness

OSC Twente had a bustling week filled with eight events aimed at advocating for open science practices at the University of Twente (UT) and Saxion University of Applied Sciences.

  • 🔍 Information Booths:
    OSC Twente organized six information booth events—five at UT, one at Saxion. Here, researchers and support staff could learn all about OSC Twente and sign-up to become a member.
  • 🔗 CodeCheckNL Event:
    OSC Twente participated in the CodeCheckNL event, which fit seamlessly under the OSC-NL umbrella to raise awareness about open science practices. In this event, participants checked and verified each other’s research findings, starting from the raw data and the scripts that were used for analysis.
  • 🗣 Panel Discussion:
    The week culminated in a successful panel discussion held as part of the Emerging Technologies & Societal Transformations Conference 2024. This discussion brought together various stakeholders, enabling an enriching dialogue about open science involvement and its relevance amidst evolving technological landscapes.

OSC Amsterdam: Addressing Scientific Integrity

The Open Science Community Amsterdam took a significant step by hosting the Scientific Integrity Symposium on September 23. This event served as a platform for discussing essential issues surrounding the quality and integrity of scientific research—especially pertinent in an era where AI and emerging technologies introduce new challenges.

  • 🗝 Opening and Expert Talks:
    The event began with a keynote from UvA Open Science coordinator Frans Oort. This was followed by insights from international and national experts such as Elisabeth Bik, Ben Mol, Mariëtte van den Hoven, and Gerben ter Riet. Their talks focused on the prevalence of scientific misconduct and the urgent need for enhanced measures to ensure research integrity.
  • ⚠️ Shocking Statistics:
    The symposium highlighted concerning statistics, with Ben Mol estimating that around 30% of randomized controlled trials in women’s health may be fabricated. Elisabeth Bik identified over 3,000 potentially fraudulent articles in biomedical research. Such revelations emphasize the crucial need for openness and transparency in the research cycle.
  • 🌱 Encouraging a Culture of Integrity:
    Despite the challenges presented, the symposium provided a hopeful perspective by emphasizing the importance of fostering an environment that supports research integrity. Panels led by experts encouraged researchers to speak up and engage in training provided by initiatives like the Dutch Research Integrity Network (NRIN) and join their local Open Science Community.

OSC Leiden: Making support for taking your next step in Open Science visible

OSC Leiden contributed to the Open Science Week with a series of events focused on making the existing support for open science practices visible.

  • 🏫 Information Booth: The OSCL Information Booth visited different faculties each day of the OS week. At this booth, people were inspired to take their next steps with the relevant support in that particular faculty readily present to answer any questions.
  • 📚 Lecture on FAIR Implementation Profiles:
    A key event at OSC Leiden was a lecture on FAIR Implementation Profiles (FIPs). The sessions explored how researchers can improve the reusability of their data by adhering to FAIR principles, fostering a culture of better data management.
  • 🤖 Open Science and AI Discussions:
    Another focus at OSC Leiden was the intersection of open science and AI, exploring how AI technologies can both aid and challenge open science initiatives. Participants discussed the ethical implications of using AI in research and how AI could be leveraged to make science more transparent and accessible.

Conclusion

The OSC-NL National Open Science Week was a remarkable showcase of how local OSCs are making strides in promoting open science. The blend of practical engagement, collaborative initiatives, and thought-provoking discussions set a strong foundation for continued growth and awareness in the scientific community.

For those interested in exploring the full program of events, OSC Twente has a detailed list available here, and slides from the OSC Amsterdam symposium can be found on their OSCA repository here. The full program of the activities of OSC Leiden can be found here. 

Let’s continue the momentum and work collectively towards a more open scientific community!

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OSC-NL National Open Science Week from 23 to 27 September 2024

To celebrate and recognize the crucial role of Open Science in the advancement of science, the Network of Open Science Communities in the Netherlands (OSC-NL) organises its first OSC-NL National Open Science Week from 23 to 27 September 2024.

Although Open Science contributes to more transparent and inclusive research, its practical implementation is often challenging.

This Open Science Week aims to address these challenges by raising awareness of the various support services and structures that exist, such as local and thematic Digital Competency Centers, Open Science Programmes, Open Science Communities (OSCs) etc. Designed to facilitate the application of Open Science principles, these resources provide researchers and research supporters with the tools and funding necessary to adopt more open and collaborative research practices.  Read more

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OpenFest2024

Co-delivered by the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam University, OpenFest is our flagship celebration and exploration of open research, providing an opportunity to explore current issues, share experiences, and consider how open research can be applied in your discipline. Full details and links to registration available here

Open Research @ Sheffield Day 1 – talks and presentations at the University of Sheffield

Tuesday 10th September, 10.00am-3.10pm 

In person with hybrid capability, The Diamond, Workrooms 1&2

This event includes a series of talks and presentations that explore current practice and/or areas of development or potential in open research, from sharing the outputs of practice-based research to developing training around reproducible research software. We’ll showcase the successful projects from the recent Unleash Your Data & Software funding competition, as well as exploring the new TUoS Research Culture Strategy & Action Plan. The event will culminate in the launch of the University of Sheffield’s new Office for Open Research and Scholarship.

Programme

Wednesday 11 September 2024, 10.00am-4.00pm

Online

To what extent, and in what ways, is the future of research culture open? What practices are and will be central in establishing and embedding a culture of research openness? What factors impede efforts to achieve an open research culture, and how best can researchers and other professionals address these? Our online symposium aims to create space for colleagues across the UK and internationally to explore these and related ideas.

Programme

Open Research @ Sheffield Day 2 – open research workshops at Sheffield Hallam University

Thursday 12th September 2024, 10.00am-3.10pm

In person, Sheffield Hallam University

This event includes workshops on ‘Open ALL OERs- Making educational resources open and reusable’ and ‘Promoting Open Research via different communication channels’, as well as the opportunity to build networks and connections between TUoS and Sheffield Hallam.

Programme

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Open Science in Africa – the Case for Open Science in Crisis Management

On the Thursday 23 May 2024, Dr Rania Elsayed (North African Open Science Platform Regional Node; OSC North-Africa) and Dr Loek Brinkman (INOSC) hosted an online meeting on how to stimulate the transition to Open Science in African countries, focusing on the relevance of Open Science in response to crisis situations. The meeting was attended by colleagues from Kenya, Algeria, Egypt, Nigeria, Belgium, France, China, and The Netherlands.

Loek gave an introduction on how the International Network of Open Science Communities (INOSC) facilitates local Open Science Communities to engage researchers to adopt Open Science practices. Doaa Abdel Kader and Umar Ahmed, from OSC Egypt and OSC Nigeria, respectively, shared their experiences in setting-up and managing their local Open Science Clouds (OSCs).

Francis Crawley from the CODATA International Data Policy Committee (IDPC) gave a presentation on the role of data policy in Open Science for addressing crisis situations (such as in cases of health emergencies, natural disasters, and geopolitical conflicts). He pointed to the work of the UNESCO-CODATA Working Group on Data Policy for Times of Crisis Facilitated by Open Science (DPTC) in developing global guidance on how policies can be shaped to promote Open Science during crises, highlighting the necessity for policy alignment at institutional and (inter)national levels. In order to receive this alignment between science and societal outcomes, particularly in terms of crises, he discussed the need for aligning the work of researchers with the more expressed principles, values, and impact being pursued by the IDPC in the context of the Coalition for the Advancement of Research Assessment’s Working Group on ‘Ethics and Research Integrity Policy in Responsible Research Assessment for Data and Artificial Intelligence (CoARA-ERIP). This science-policy brief from the recent UN STI 2024 Forum provides a general global framework.

Simon Hodson discussed the overall work of CODATA in contributing to a global discussion on open science. Lili Zhang briefly discussed the work of the Global Open Science Cloud (GOSC).

In the subsequent discussion it became apparent that for African countries, a pragmatic approach was needed as well as a revision in funding paradigms if scientists would be motivated to work in Open Science frameworks. This included the need for practical examples and use cases clearly showing the benefits of open data, AI, and publication practices in order to communicate the added benefits and return-on-investment. Critical here was the incentive and reward systems that would move people to Open Science, not just in a broad international or even continental sense, but also nationally and sub-nationally, within research institutions and higher education facilities where such policies and practices can be stimulated, advanced, and evaluated. Local Open Science Communities may play a crucial role, not only by accelerating the uptake of Open Science practices, but also by providing input on policies and incentive structures from the researchers perspective.

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Changing Research Culture

9th July 2024, 10am-3pm

Workroom 2, the Wave, University of Sheffield

In person, with online attendance available for keynote talks only

In anticipation of REF2029’s heightened emphasis on People, Culture and Environment, ‘research culture’ is increasingly coming into scope as a focus of attention for UK institutions. But critical and reflective work is needed to avoid the term becoming, like ‘excellence’ itself, a floating signifier that obscures the genuine conditions, processes and limitations of academic practice. 

This one-day workshop will address this task with a particular focus on practices around openness and transparency. With reference to UKRIO’s component principles of research integrity, we will examine the degree to which open practices present a necessary condition of a culture of research integrity and inclusion and explore the extent to which embedding and facilitating open practices offers a significant mechanism of culture change. 

Keynote speakers:

  • Tanita Casci, Director, Research Strategy & Policy Unit, University of Oxford
  • Stephen Curry, College Consul and Professor of Natural Science, Imperial College London, and Chair of the Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA)

More details and booking links: https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/openresearch/events/changing-research-culture 

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Welcome to the new Open Scholarship Community Sussex pages!

Open Scholarship Community Sussex (OSCS) is a new initiative at the University of Sussex to bring together people interested in Open Research. We aim to provide a space for everyone to participate in Open Science/Research projects, to share information and best practice, to develop & deliver courses and knowledge-sharing, and to be a community hub for anyone interested in any aspect of Open Research.

The community is just getting started but if you want to get involved, please email Andre Maia Chagas A.Maia-Chagas@sussex.ac.uk or Sam Nesbit sfn20@sussex.ac.uk

These pages will be updated over the coming weeks but please get in touch with any questions or suggestions.

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OSC-NL Knowledge exchange day on February 2nd, 2024

On February 2nd, 2024, OSC-NL hosted a knowledge exchange day to kick off the year. Due to the growing awareness that the communities are crucial in the transition to OS, we now also had funding to organise this day and other network events. Representatives from seven Open Science Communities attended the event to connect, socialise, and formulate a strategic plan to engage their respective local communities. A strategic approach to engagement has become especially important now that the generous NWO impulse fund for each of the local communities has started to flow, giving us the opportunity to grow and professionalise like never before. However, the central question on this day of knowledge sharing remained: How exactly can we achieve these goals?

To professionalise OSC-NL and the work of local community managers, we focused on three central points in our discussions:

  1. Professionalisation of local community managers. OSC-NL offers a limited number of spots for community engagement training, which will be available to community managers from OSCs across the Netherlands in autumn. Furthermore, broader workshops based on the OSC Incubator Program will be offered at the individual locations.
  2. Professionalisation of the OSC-NL core team. We shared ideas on the role of the OSC-NL core team within the network of OSCs in the Netherlands. This involved determining concrete tasks the core team should undertake, identifying the most pressing issues within the network the core team can address, and drafting strategies to effectively support individual communities to ensure their success.
  3. Professionalisation of the brand of OSC-NL and the OSC-NL website. OSC-NL is currently undergoing a rebranding process. The goal of this rebranding is to ensure inclusivity for all its members and to communicate more effectively our goals, strategies, and events. Stay tuned for updates on this initiative!

In addition to the professionalisation of OSC-NL, we also discussed current challenges considered important for individual OSCs. These were (1) education on open science (i.e., how can we bridge the gap between OSCs and educators and engage students in our communities?), (2) the engagement of local stakeholders (i.e., how can we reach university executive boards, to collaborate on long-term strategies for open science within universities?), and (3) the cultivation of a vibrant and active interdisciplinary community (i.e., which events facilitate engagement and the formation of workgroups?).

The meeting served as a brainstorming session to identify future tasks, but we only began to address a fraction of the questions at hand. However, it did establish a starting point for future work sprints on these topics, for instance, at the approaching 5-day Open Science Retreat in Schoorl in March.

Looking back at the past five years, we are very proud of what we achieved with OSC-NL: OSCs active in all 12 university cities with over 2000 members, ready to put Open Science to practise. With the financial impuls for OSC-NL, we are ready to take OSC-NL to the next level!  

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Open Research Conversations – Spring 2024

The University of Sheffield is pleased to announce its Spring 2024 schedule for its popular Open Research Conversations. These are free, online and open to all. Each focuses on a specific aspect of open research and features talks from 2-3 speakers followed by questions and discussion.

For full details please visit Open Research Conversations – Spring 2024. Summaries in the events calendar which includes links to book your place are linked below.

We look forward to seeing you over the coming months at these popular events.

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