Open Science is the new, open, and participatory way of conducting, disseminating, and evaluating research.

As defined in the UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science (2021) and the Ministry of University and Research’s National Plan for Open Science 2021–2027 (2022), Open Science refers to a collaborative approach to the scientific process that combines activities and practices aimed at making scientific knowledge accessible and readily usable by all. Specifically, Open Science includes:

Therefore, practicing Open Science means making every step of research open, so that data and results are freely available to everyone. This can increase and improve scientific collaboration and information sharing, benefiting scientific research and the community. Open Science enhances the quality of scientific research by ensuring that research results are always verifiable and reusable, based on the principles of transparency, reproducibility, and sharing. This enables the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals outlined in the UN 2030 Agenda, as it brings science closer to society’s needs and provides equitable access for citizens, researchers, and policymakers.

Engaging in Open Science means rethinking how you conduct research, shifting from the idea of “publishing” to “making your work available to everyone.” It's not incompatible with current research evaluation practices: many parallel actions can be pursued that not only don't hinder but actually enhance researchers' careers.

Luiss Guido Carli adheres to the principles of open access to research results and responsible research, and supports their development while respecting the protection of intellectual property.

Open Access

Luiss supports the implementation of the Open Access principle, as outlined in the Berlin Declaration on Open Access to Scientific Literature of October 2003, to which the University adhered by signing the Messina Declaration in 2004.

Believing that this publishing method enhances the visibility, dissemination, and recognition of its scientific research results both nationally and internationally, Luiss adopted an Open Access policy in 2016 to govern the dissemination of its research outputs.

Through its University Library, Luiss participates in various initiatives supporting Open Access. Since 2017, it has been a partner of OpenAIRE, the European Community’s project aimed at building an infrastructure that makes available peer-reviewed articles reporting the results of research conducted within projects funded by the European Union’s Framework Program (FP7, H2020, Horizon Europe) and the European Research Council (ERC).

For more information, visit the Open Access page on the Library's website.

Open Science from A to Z

As part of the European project CATALISI, in which Luiss is a partner, the seminar “Open Science from A to Z” was held at Luiss on March 23 and 29, 2023. It was aimed at faculty, researchers, postdocs, doctoral students, and the technical and administrative staff who most closely support the research activities of the departments. The course was delivered by Dr. Elena Giglia, Head of the Open Science Project Unit at the University of Turin, and was divided into two modules:

• The first module, “Open Science: How and Why,” aimed to help participants understand the rationale and potential of an open approach to scientific communication as an alternative to the current system and its shortcomings, especially in light of the experience of the pandemic. Open science isn't just more robust and verifiable; it also ensures access for everyone, leading to a greater impact on society thanks to the potential for immediate reuse of university research data and results. | Go to the recording
• The second module, “FAIR Data, EOSC, and DMP,” covered some technical aspects of “how to do” Open Science. Open Access and Open Science have now become a priority on Europe’s political agenda. With the launch of Horizon Europe, the topic has become even more relevant, as adopting Open Science practices is now a criterion for evaluating and selecting project proposals in the “Scientific Excellence” section. | Go to registration

The course materials are available at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7746628

Publishing in Open Access

There are several options for publishing in Open Access:

• Publish in high-quality, natively open access journals (there are over 12,000 listed in the DOAJ) – The paper is immediately open, and any publication costs are reimbursable under Horizon Europe if included in the budget. However, these may not be the most prestigious journals according to current research evaluation criteria.
• Using publishing platforms, preprint servers, and open notebooks: These are the most innovative tools, but they are not yet recognized for evaluation purposes.
• Publishing in hybrid journals: Starting in 2020, Luiss Guido Carli, through its University Library, has signed several transformative agreements with leading international academic publishers. For more information, visit the “Publishing in Open Access” page on the Library's website. Please note that costs for publishing in hybrid journals are not reimbursable under Horizon Europe.

However, to ensure open access, publishing in open access journals isn't required: researchers can exercise their right to secondary publishing (Secondary Publishing Right – SPR). In other words, researchers can continue to publish in traditional journals that are considered more prestigious based on current evaluation criteria, and then deposit the version required by the funder and permitted by the publisher – typically the postprint – in Open Access in a certified repository (such as IRIS). - In this case, to meet Horizon Europe's open access requirements, when submitting the paper, you must check the publisher's policies and include a clause that allows you to retain your copyright. This ensures immediate access to the postprint without any embargo.

Cover image by Elena Giglia