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UCL is committed to supporting all aspects of Open Science and Scholarship and to being a global leader in effecting a transition to an Open Science landscape
Defining Open Science & Scholarship
Open Science and Scholarship provides a set of principles for practice which are transforming the research and educational landscape across the world to benefit Society as a whole.
Drawing on the Latin word scientia, meaning "knowledge", the concept of Open Science embraces what we know, and how, in the natural and social sciences, as well as the arts and humanities. Also called Open Research, Open Knowledge, or Open Scholarship, it is focused on inclusive approaches to producing, curating, disseminating and evaluating research and educational outputs; how individuals are rewarded for this; and how universities can make valuable offerings to Society as a result.
As such, Open Science and Scholarship can be considered to cover everything from Open Access Publishing, to Open Data and Software, Transparency, Reproducibility and Open Methodology, as well as Open Educational Resources; and it also extends to include Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable (FAIR) data, Next Generation Metrics, Research Integrity; and how academics can invite greater involvement with research processes and products through Citizen Science, Engaged Research, Public Involvement, Co-production and Communication.
The breadth of the principles behind Open Science and Scholarship means that at least some of the elements apply to all subjects and disciplines.
At UCL’s Office for Open Science and Scholarship, our work is underpinned by the 8 Pillars of Open Science.
News and Publications
- *NEW* Open Science Case Studies 4 UCL Launched. A new collection of case studies showing how open science can support career development and progression has been launched to support our academic community.
- *NEW* Principles of Authorship. A new collection of principles and guidelines in support of the UCL Code of Conduct for research.
- Office for Open Science & Scholarship Operational Plan 2021-24 has been published. (MS Word)
- Dr Paul Ayris outlines the development of the Office for Open Science & Scholarship and the role it plays in this talk presented at a webinar organised by the Eutopia consortium and Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona (February 2022).
- New Data Statement endorsed by European Universities chaired by Dr Paul Ayris on behalf of LERU
- Dr Paul Ayris, UCL Pro Vice Provost and Director of Library Services, explains UCL's position on supporting Open Science/Scholarship and research transparency in the context of Covid-19.
- LERU (League of European Research Universities) has just issued a new note on the role of Open Science in the ‘new normal’. Dr. Paul Ayris chaired the working group that produced it and was interviewed about the process.
- UCL is a case study in "Reimagining academic career assessment reform: stories of innovation and change” a new collaboration between DORA, SPARC Europe and EUA.
- UCL bibliometrics policy has been launched, which sets out principles for the use of citation metrics in research assessment across the university.
- UCL has signed the Wellcome Statement on Open Data.
- A new UCL Statement on the importance of Open Science & Scholarship has been published in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
- UCL Statement on Transparency in Research has been published, which outlines expectations relating to transparency and reproducibility at UCL.
- A design framework and exemplar metrics for FAIRness (June 2018)
- Open Science and Universities: managing the change
- Delivering the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC): Principle and Practice in delivering Open Science
- Ayris, P. et al. Open Science and its role in universities: a roadmap for cultural change. 2018 May.
- The FAIR Guiding Principles for scientific data management and stewardship (March 2016)