Transparency and knowledge sharing are prerequisites for research. Open science changes the way in which research is conducted, shared and assessed, and increases the potential for high quality and value creation. The Research Council is a driving force in making science as open as possible. Our open science policy includes open science processes, open innovation and involvement, and citizen science. The policy sets the framework for the Research Council’s work in this field. Below is an overview of some of the key areas of our work.
Participation, involvement and citizen science
Citizen and user involvement and participation has been on the research policy agenda for a long time. The Research Council is a partner in the EU-funded project PRO-Ethics, which focuses on how research funding organisations in Europe can test new, ethical ways to involve citizens and public and societal actors in decision-making processes. The project is developing a framework and guidelines for ethically sound involvement processes. This will become a tool that can be used in our projects that involve user participation.
As part of the project, the Research Council has established INVOLVE HUB, a network of external stakeholders for discussions of ethical challenges and solutions. The network consists of researchers and practitioners from the public and non-profit sectors, all with an interest and expertise in involvement and participation. They will meet for three sessions to discuss ethical dilemmas related to involvement in research and innovation projects, how the ethical guidelines from PRO-Ethics should be developed, and how the Research Council can develop its procedures and measures to promote user participation and involvement in an ethically sound manner.
Reforming research assessment
In 2018, the Research Council signed the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA). The declaration includes recommendations on good practice for quality assessments, and encourages funders to base their funding decisions on the projects’ scientific quality and content. The Research Council has signed the Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment and is actively participating in further work in this area. In collaboration with Universities Norway (UHR) and the research institutions, the Research Council is working to implement NOR-CAM, a toolbox for recognition and rewards in academic careers.
The Research Council is working together with research institutions and other actors to establish a broad network for citizen science in Norway.
From 2023, referees will assess applications for Researcher Project and Collaborative and Knowledge-building Project for open science practice. Read more about assessment of open science in grant applications.
Making research data FAIR
Since 2014, the Research Council has set requirements for secure storage and accessibility of research data from our projects. From 2018, we have required projects to create a data management plan in the revised application. For more information about the Research Council’s requirements and guidelines related to research data and data management plans.
Data infrastructure and European Open Science Cloud
The ambition of the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC) is to develop a coordinated European network of FAIR data and services for scientific research, regardless of subject area. The EOSC builds on pre-existing infrastructures and services supported by the European Commission, member states and research environments. The EOSC Association (EOSC AISBL) is the legal entity established to oversee the development of the EOSC. More information about what it means to participate in the EOSC.
Open access to publications and Plan S
The Research Council played a central role when Plan S was launched in autumn 2018 by a consortium of research funding organisations – cOAlition S – where the goal was to ensure immediate open access for scientific publications. From 2021, articles from new projects that we have funded must be made available immediately without delay (embargo) and with an open license allowing reuse. For more information about the Research Council’s requirements and guidelines relating to open access to publications.
Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI)
Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) aims to create inclusive and socially responsible research and innovation. The Research Council’s RRI Framework emphasises developing procedures in the research and innovation system and challenging established research practices. An appendix on RRI has been prepared for calls where this is relevant. It states how applicants can incorporate RRI considerations in their grant application.
Useful background information on open science can be found on the website Openscience.no
Crediting the Research Council as a funder
All projects that receive funding from the Research Council must refer to us as the source of funding, together with the project number, in all external activities, including publications as follows:
"This research is/was funded, wholly or partly, by the Research Council of Norway, project number [6-digit project number]."