RUB Research School

Open Science

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Opening up Science as a Cultural Change

What is Open Science and What Does It Mean for Me as a Scientist

Open Science is a cultural shift that aims to make research more open and transparent. We put a special focus on it to raise your awareness of one of the most important ongoing discussions in research. The information on this webpage is intended to give you the opportunity to get an idea of the Open Science developments and to reflect on them against the background of your own academic activities. The homepage also serves to bundle the offers for Open Science core fields of action open data, open access and public engagement that are already available on campus and at RUB Research School, and to provide you with contacts.

Open Science Month

The Research School is participating in Ruhr University's Open Science November. Under the umbrella of UNIC, it is offering two events:

  • Showcasing Research Engagement Beyond Traditional Outputs (November 13, 12-1:30 p.m., ZOOM)
  • New Perspectives on Scientific Performance (November 20, 12-1:30 p.m., ZOOM)

Here you will find further information on the two events, registration, and details about Open Science November at RUB.

What exactly is Open Science?

We follow the definition of the FOSTER project, which understands Open Science as initiating a cultural change in the way research is conducted. It follows the principles of participation, fairness, equity and sharing of knowledge. It aims to make research more open to participation, review, accountability and (re)use of research results and processes. Open Science will help organise research so that others can participate and contribute, that research data, methods and processes are freely available, and that research knowledge, including the underlying data and methods, can be reused, redistributed and reproduced.

While most relevant, research-related aspects of Open Science such as Open Access publishing, open data and public engagement are established in most research fields, others such as open peer review or open metrics and impact are still under discussion.

What do I need to know about Open Science with respect to my research?

The following three blocks of questions should help you to reflect on the topic of Open Science against the background of your own research:

Why Open Science?

Open Science?! That means

  • faster and free access to scientific knowledge
  • better verifiability of research results
  • the bundling of resources
  • the support of joint initiatives
  • increasing trust in science
  • interaction with the public

Why is Open Science important for me as an early career researcher?

  • Higher visibility for scientists
  • Demands by the funding bodies
  • Reuse and participation is made possible
  • Confidence in research is maintained/established/increased/renewed

Personal Checklist

  • Which questions arise for me as a doctoral researcher/postdoc?
  • Is Open Access accepted in my field of research?
  • What added value do I expect from Open Access etc.?
  • Does making data available have a negative impact on my research?
  • What possibilities do I have to communicate my research outside the scientific community?

RUB Research School provides you with services and courses in the central fields of Open Science and cooperates with the relevant offices on campus. 

Get to know more about Open Science

On 3rd June 2022, RUB published its Open Science-Policy. Find the whole document here (in German).

If you would like to dive deeper into the topic of Open Science, you can find more information, tutorials and ressources here:

You want to share your own material with other teachers or are you searching for teaching materials yourself? You need support for your Open Educational Ressources project? Find more information here.

Approach us

Do you have experience with Open Science and would like to share it with us? We look forward to hearing from you!

Your contact:

Dr. Sarah Gemicioglu

RUB signed the CoARA Agreement

RUB joined the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment and participates in the reorientation of the evaluation of scientific performance. Learn more here. 

Interview: Potential of Open Science

On the occasion of the Open Science Summer 2024, Dr. Sarah Gemicioglu and Dr. Ursula Justus from the RUB Research School provided insights into the potential of Open Science in an interview.

Podcast on Open Science

Here you can find the podcast episode on Open Science, the ReproducibiliTEA Bochum and transparency in science. It is part of the podcast “Learning, forgetting and remembering” by the Collaborative Research Center “Extinction Learning”.

ReproducibiliTea at RUB

Have you ever heard of ReproducibiliTea? Become part of a “grassroots journal club initiative” at RUB! Here you can find more information!