On Thursday, 5 October 2023, the first national event of the "GET TO KNOW - Support in introducing the principles of open science in Slovenia", within the framework of which the Central Technical Library of the University of Ljubljana and 20 Slovenian public research organizations will adapt their operations in accordance with the principles of open science. At the event, the consortium partners, together with the most important stakeholders, outlined the guidelines for the implementation of the national open science policy. Guests from abroad also presented some successful practices of this kind in the European Research Area.
The event was opened with introductory speeches by dr. Igor Papič, Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, and dr. Emilija Stojmenova Duh, Minister for Digital Transformation. dr. Igor Papič emphasized that we must be extremely careful when introducing the principles of open science. "The basic concept that we follow both at the national and at the European level is to be open as much as possible, but on the other hand, also cautious. This is about finding a balance - to have international cooperation, but at the same time we are careful not to hand over our knowledge too easily to others." dr. Emilija Stojmenova Duh emphasized that the Ministry of Digital Transformation supports open science and is aware of its importance. "However, we also recognize the significant contribution digitization can make to open science, particularly in the realms of data collection, processing, and sharing. Even artificial intelligence, as a technology, relies on open science due to its reliance on data. At the ministry, we are dedicated to promoting the unrestricted reuse of data, while ensuring compliance with copyright laws and proper citation of sources."
The opening speeches can be viewed at the following links: dr. Igor Papič and dr. Emilija Stojmenova Duh
In May of this year, the Decree on the Implementation of Scientific Research in Accordance with the Principles of Open Science was enacted. This regulation mandates adjustments not only for higher education and research organizations that receive more than 50% of their funding from public sources but also for the Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency (ARIS) and the Slovenian Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (NAKVIS). Dr. Špela Stres from ARIS proceeded to outline the activities undertaken by the agency to align its operations with open science principles. Among the obligations are the co-financing of citizen science within publicly funded research and ensuring open access to articles published in subscription journals. Additionally, ARIS establishes criteria for identifying trusted repositories for scientific publications, research data, and other research outcomes.
The speech of dr. Špela Stres is available HERE.
All three public Slovenian universities joined the SPOZNAJ project, namely the University of Ljubljana, Maribor and Primorska. The other three members of the Rector's Conference of the Republic of Slovenia—University of Nova Gorica, University of Novo Mesto, and New University—also demonstrate significant interest in the project. President of the Rector's Conference of the Republic of Slovenia and Rector of the University of Ljubljana, dr. Gregor Majdič, presented the view of the Rector's Conference on the implementation of open science practices in Slovenia. A total of 15 out of the 24 members of the Coordination of Independent Research Institutes of Slovenia (KOsRIS) joined the SPOZNAJ project, while the remaining members also demonstrate considerable interest in the project.
The speech of dr. Gregor Majdič is available HERE.
dr. Andrej Pančur, a representative of KOsRIS and the director of the Institute for Contemporary History presented the institutes' view of open science. Alongside the SPOZNAJ project, there are other complementary activities led by the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation (MVZI), particularly in the realm of national open science infrastructure and citizen science. Peter Sterle with MVZI, he then presented the Action Plan for Open Science, within which 71 activities are planned. Until 2030, EUR 16,793,600 is earmarked for these activities.
The speech of dr. Andrej Pančur is available HERE. The speech of Peter Sterle is available HERE. Following the initial part of the event, a discussion ensued, which you can listen to HERE.
Miro Pušnik, M.Sc., the director of the Central Technical Library at the University of Ljubljana, which coordinates the SPOZNAJ project, presented the project in greater detail. The project aims to establish support mechanisms and tools for implementing open science practices at public research and higher education institutions. This includes recruiting individuals with the necessary skills and competencies to facilitate the implementation of open science practices both within their institutions and beyond. "A major issue is that these tasks are currently being handled in a more ad hoc manner – we lack professional data administrators to manage them." He also emphasized that open science is collaborative science. "We mustn't find ourselves in competition regarding scientific infrastructure. Additionally, I view the SPOZNAJ project as a platform for dialogue—a space where researchers, the research community, funders, and the broader community can interact."
The speech of Miro Pušnik is available HERE.
Dunja Legat, M.Sc., from the Maribor University Library proceeded to introduce the Slovenian Open Science Community, a formal network comprising Slovenian research organizations and infrastructures united in the shared objective of advancing and facilitating open science practices in Slovenia. With its defined role, tasks, and activities, it serves as a crucial initiative for the national open science cloud. Currently celebrating its first anniversary, the community has garnered 32 partners to date.
The speech of Dunja Legat is available HERE.
Successful practices in the European Research Area
An integral aspect of the event was the presentation of successful practices in implementing open science principles within the European Research Area. Dr. Marta Teperek from The Dutch Research Council elucidated the role of research funders in implementing open science principles through various case studies. They can wield significant influence in catalyzing a cultural shift essential for the successful adoption of open science principles. Dr. Paul Ayris, executive director of the university library of University College London (UCL), discussed open access to scientific publications and copyright preservation (also known as rights retention strategy), as well as actions individual institutions can take to accelerate the shift towards open access. He underscored the importance of authors and institutions retaining copyright for their work, enabling them to publish in any outlet of their choice and thereby contributing to broader social progress. Copyright protection thus stands as a crucial factor strongly impacting the implementation of open science principles.
The speech of dr. Marta Teperek is available at HERE. The speech of dr. Paul Ayris is available at HERE. You can follow the discussion at HERE.
Tereza Kalová, coordinator of the data stewardship program at the University of Vienna, highlighted their university's focus on developing research data management services. Specifically, they have established a network of professional data stewards who provide substantial assistance to researchers in managing their data. Additionally, they have devised an educational program for aspiring data stewards, which was recently completed by the inaugural cohort of students. Dr. Jan Wöpking, CEO of German U15, a coalition comprising fifteen leading research universities in Germany, delved into the open science landscape in the country. In Germany, open science is woven into research funding schemes, and the nation collaborates with European institutions on multiple strategies and policies to advance open science within the research sphere. However, in their efforts to implement open science principles, they also encounter various challenges, including those related to intellectual property, safeguarding personal and sensitive data, and infrastructure development.
Teresa Kalova's speech is available HERE. The speech of dr. Jan Wöpking is available HERE.
You can listen to the discussion at the end of the event HERE.
