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Open science policy

USN aims to facilitate research that is inclusive, transparent, and openly accessible. We view openness as an opportunity to share knowledge and insights, and as a means to contribute to democratic societal development, innovation, and scientific progress.

Open Access logo

Approved by rector 16th of April 2024.

We recognize that open science is not just about publishing results, but also about creating a culture where researchers are acknowledged for, and feel comfortable with, sharing, collaborating, and building on each other's work. This stimulates high-quality research, engages various actors in the research process, builds trust, and creates meaningful societal outcomes.

Open science is fundamental to achieving USN's strategic goals, promoting scientific progress, and meeting societal needs. By implementing this policy, USN will provide its researchers with access to necessary support services and resources for sharing and reusing knowledge.

USN's policy for open science applies to the following main areas: 1) Scientific publishing, artistic research, and dissemination; 2) Research data; 3) Research in collaboration with society; and 4) Transparent evaluation of researchers and research.

Main Areas of the Policy

Scientific Publishing, Artistic Research, and Dissemination Research Data Transparent Evaluation of Researchers and Research Research in Collaboration with Society
Promote open access models

To ensure free access to knowledge, USN will facilitate scientific publications being made openly available.

Provide necessary infrastructure and resources

USN will offer the necessary infrastructure and resources to support open scientific publishing, artistic research, and dissemination. We will support and encourage researchers to share research protocols, preprints, publications, and other research results.

Contribute to making artistic research accessible to the public

USN will recognize artistic contributions and contribute to their availability through exhibitions, performances, and digital platforms, on par with other academic production.

Stimulate dissemination

USN will enable researchers to communicate their research to various audiences through popular science articles, events, public lectures, or other relevant activities to promote mutual exchange of knowledge.

Support diversity in research communication

We recognize the importance of broadly communicating research, both nationally and internationally, and will support researchers in disseminating and publishing in multiple languages and adapting communication methods to different audiences and contexts.
Facilitate adherence to FAIR principles

FAIR involves making research data findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable. USN will have clear guidelines, standards, and best practices that assist researchers in following FAIR principles in the handling and sharing of research data.

Ensure good data management

We will facilitate good data management and the use of internationally recognized metadata standards to ensure that research data is well-structured and documented. This enables others to find, understand, and reuse the data, as well as replicate studies.

Have clear procedures regarding the availability of research data

This involves assessing whether research data can and should be shared, setting appropriate access levels, and applying licenses or agreements that promote the reuse of data when sharing is possible.

Offer good solutions for storing research data

USN will have a secure infrastructure for storing, securing, and making research data available in accordance with FAIR principles.

Promote standards and interoperability

We will collaborate with relevant communities and organizations to promote standards for research data adapted to different fields. This will make it easier to share and reuse research data.
Use clear and transparent evaluation criteria in line with national and international standards

This involves evaluating the breadth of competencies and results, such as scientific publishing, peer review, artistic research, good handling of research data, research in collaboration with society, and dissemination activities. Open science will be valued positively.

Implement transparency in internal evaluation systems

We will promote transparency in evaluation systems by ensuring that processes and criteria are transparent, documented, and accessible to all involved parties. This includes encouraging open panels, publishing evaluation reports, and providing opportunities for researchers to give feedback on evaluations.

Promote holistic and qualitative evaluation

We recognize that quantitative indicators have limitations and potential biases, and will therefore use research indicators and other metrics as supplements to, and not as replacements for, holistic and qualitative evaluation.

Promote peer review and external evaluators as central elements in USN's internal evaluation of units and initiatives

By including independent experts, we ensure a more extensive assessment and contribute to building trust in evaluation systems.

Emphasize open science in researcher development and career guidance

This includes offering mentorship programs, plans for professional development, and career guidance that includes all aspects of open science.
Facilitate community participation in research

We will facilitate community participation in research, for example through participatory research, user involvement, and co-creation - when it is academically relevant. Including people from various groups outside academia can contribute to new knowledge and insights, as well as increased relevance and legitimacy.

Contribute to developing partnerships with stakeholders outside academia

We will encourage collaboration with various stakeholders such as businesses, public institutions, non-profit organizations, and local communities. Through the establishment of various partnerships, we can exchange knowledge, resources, and expertise to solve common challenges and create societal benefits.

Stimulate knowledge transfer through user involvement

This can happen through workshops, dialogue meetings, training, and other forms of knowledge exchange.

Contribute to democratic and sustainable development

Through research in collaboration with society, we can address complex societal challenges in constructive and creative ways.

General Principles

These general principles contribute to creating a unified approach to open science across the four main areas of the policy.

High-Quality Research
  • USN will facilitate quality, innovation, and research development.
  • By facilitating a stimulating and inclusive research environment, we contribute to driving groundbreaking research and achieving significant societal results.
Academic Freedom
  • Academic freedom ensures an open and critical research culture that lays the foundation for knowledge development and the exchange of ideas across different disciplines and perspectives.
  • The principle of academic freedom guarantees researchers the right to explore, communicate, and challenge established ideas without fear of reprisals or political interference.
Research Ethics
  • Research ethics is a set of fundamental norms that ensure research is conducted ethically, and that researchers consider human rights, privacy, consent, confidentiality, and fair treatment of research participants.
  • Research ethics is a prerequisite for open science. It ensures integrity, confidentiality, and respect for research participants, and creates trust in the research process.
Proportionality
  • We will ensure that resource use in the work for open science is proportional and appropriate.
  • Proportionality must be assessed in light of the academic discipline, type of study, and the purpose of the research.
Information and Training
  • USN will provide information and resources on open science, including guidelines, tools, and best practices, to increase awareness and knowledge among researchers and students.
  • USN will offer training and competence development measures related to open science to strengthen researchers' skills and understanding.

 

This policy for open science at USN is designed to promote openness, access to research results, and collaboration with society in the research process. USN encourages all our researchers to actively engage with this policy and contribute to creating a research culture that is open, inclusive, and transparent, and that generates high-quality research.

Do you have any questions regarding our Open Policy?