University launches Open Research Statement
The University’s new Open Research Statement commits to open research principles and practices throughout the institution.
Open research is about how research is performed and how knowledge is shared, based on the principle that research should be as open as possible.
As a values-driven institution, open research can help achieve our mission to advance knowledge, transform lives and shape a better future for our communities, our region and the world.
Professor Nick Plant Deputy Vice Chancellor for Research, welcomed the statement saying: “The University of Leeds Open Research Statement demonstrates our commitment and support for open research practices for staff, students, partners, and the wider community.”
The official launch event, Introducing the University of Leeds Open Research Statement, will take place online on Monday 16 January.
Open research practices involve making research methods freely available, including protocols, code, software, tools and services, along with any data or results extracted or derived from them. Open research encompasses the whole research cycle and enables reproducibility, opens up the potential for wider research collaboration and reduces inequalities.
These open research practices will help us achieve our mission to make a difference in the world and shape a better future for our communities, locally, nationally and internationally.
Open research principles are applicable to all disciplines, but practices will vary depending on the nature of the research. The statement sets out the actions and practices for researchers at all career stages to follow wherever possible.
Recognising that not all research outputs can be made openly available for ethical, legal, or commercial reasons, the principle is that all research should be “as open as possible, as closed as necessary” throughout the research cycle.
Professor Plant continues: “These open research practices will help us achieve our mission to make a difference in the world and shape a better future for our communities, locally, nationally and internationally.
This statement will further support our excellent community of research staff to achieve their full-potential through increasing the recognition, value, and support of research outputs of all forms.”
Working openly is essential for a more inclusive, equitable, collaborative, and supportive research culture
Open research is one of five broad themes to promote a more supportive, inclusive, and collaborative research culture at the University of Leeds.
Dean for Research Culture, Professor Cat Davies, says:
“The Open Research Statement is an exciting milestone for our research culture strategy. Together with its many accompanying initiatives, the statement signals our adoption and experimentation with a wide range of open research practices. It will guide our researchers and partners in making our research more discoverable, accessible, and applicable.
“Working openly is essential for a more inclusive, equitable, collaborative, and supportive research culture, and I look forward to seeing this work develop.”
Professor Plant also highlighted how the statement supports other strategic initiatives:
“These values also underpin the Knowledge Equity Network, our exciting new initiative to collaborate with our peers and partners in higher education to help reduce inequalities across the world by establishing open access to quality education and research for everyone.”
The Open Research Statement is underpinned by the University Publications Policy and the Research Data Management Policy and informs the strategic priorities of the Open Research Advisory Group.
Join us on Monday 16 January for the official launch event: Introducing the University of Leeds Open Research Statement. The online event will be chaired by Dr Bernadette Moore, chair of the Open Research Advisory Group, a subgroup of Research Culture.
Our guest speaker is Dr Robert Darby from the University of Reading, which was the first UK university to publish an open research statement. He will share the work they have done to embed open research practices, their successes and challenges, next steps and what they have learned along the way.
Book your place at Eventbrite.
To find out more about open research and read the Open Research Statement in full, visit the new Open Research Hub.
