Open Science

An open and free science

The term Open Science is a generic term used to describe the concepts of openness, transparency, rigour, reproducibility and accumulation of knowledge, all of which are considered fundamental characteristics of scientific work.

Aware of the challenges of quality research, the Management of the University of Lausanne has adopted a Plan of Intentions that encourages its community to pay particular attention to the production, management and dissemination of research results and data.

The Open Science (OS) movement is transforming the research environment and the way researchers advance and share science. Open access to scientific knowledge and research results has the potential to improve the quality of science by making it more transparent, more responsive to societal challenges, more inclusive and more accessible to new users.

Concerned about meeting the challenges of disseminating living knowledge, UNIL intends to develop its approach of an open science around Open Access (OA) to scientific publications and Open research Data (OrD).

Accessible and high quality scientific knowledge

Open science, or so-called "free" science, has a significant impact on society and the research community. Open access to scientific knowledge and research results has the potential to improve the quality of science by making it more transparent, more integrated, more responsive to societal challenges, more inclusive and more accessible to new users.

For the Amsterdam Call for Action on Open Science, based on the reflections of many experts gathered in 2016 by the Dutch Presidency of the EU,

"Open science is about the way researchers work, collaborate, interact, share resources and disseminate results. A systemic change towards open science is driven by new technologies and data, the increasing demand in society to address the societal challenges of our times and the readiness of citizens to participate in research. »

The benefits of Open Science

UNIL is aware that many benefits can be expected from the opening of science :

  • Transparency and visibility : Open science is synonymous with honest, accountable, transparent, reproducible, valid and quality research; the visibility of researchers and universities is increased as open data and publications are more downloaded, read and shared.
  • Impact and new discoveries : through its greater visibility, open science has an increased impact: many studies show that the citation rate increases when data and publications are open; the circulation of knowledge is also increased, thus fostering innovation and the development of new knowledge.
  • Democratization of knowledge : access to knowledge is a universal right; open science reduces the gaps between states, institutions and citizens; it defends free and open access to this knowledge and opposes any discrimination based on financial criteria.
  • Public funding = public good : most of the research carried out at UNIL is financed by public funds and, consequently, by citizens. The data, publications and research results thus obtained are a public good and must therefore be accessible quickly and freely for the benefit of society.

Open Science is also a way to restore trust and the link between citizens and the science they fund while strengthening its integrity.

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