Abstract

For over two decades European research administrators and managers (RMAs) have sought to support the adoption of open science (OS) through the development of associated practices and procedures. RMAs are increasingly burdened with the responsibility of supporting and measuring the growth in adoption of open science in research operations.

A central element of the European Commission Research and Innovation Framework Programme (FP) aims to provide open access to all aspects of the research process across academia, industry, governmental organisations and citizens. The FP encourages the use of OS practices early in the research development process allowing for a widespread sharing of research across sectors, including mandatory practices such as open access publications and responsible data management (aligned with FAIR principles). Recommended practices such as open peer review and citizen involvement are encouraged. Another EC structure that supports the embedding of good practices with regard to open science is reflected in Research Data Management Planning associated with FP funded projects.

Significant progress has been made in establishing various structural supports that enable RMAs to promote the adoption of open science practices and policies. Contemporary efforts often focus on either incentivisation based practices or mandatory open publishing requirements. However, these approaches might not present as a sustainable means to grow open science activity within research. Despite the use of mitigating practices and associated policies, challenges remain in the broad adoption of open science across the European research ecosystem. We posit that alternative approaches might better support open science success and better enable RMAs to support the growth of the domain. We examine prospective antecedents to the successful implementation of open science policies and practices.

Success is being achieved with the increased hiring and training of dedicated open science advocates and managers within research operations. Across university research environments there is greater awareness in the recruitment and training of dedicated staff in the open science domain. Some universities have sought to hardwire a open science leadership into the universities core management operations and faculties.

There is a greater need to focus upon supporting the use of open repositories across the European research ecosystem. RMAs are frequently consulted in relation to available and supported open science repositories. To this end research offices are providing greater supports for crossover activities between library and research operations in supporting open science.
This recent development highlights the important role that both library information systems and research management (amongst other stakeholders) play in fostering open science.

Challenges are evident where limited OS publication budgets are available for research operations worldwide. Many scientists describe the challenge of not having access to funds to support the publication fees necessary to make their publications open in leading scientific outlets. Responsive and improved open science budgeting systems and supports are required globally. Much of this problem may lie in the need from the careers promotional perspective to encourage greater emphasis upon researchers selecting pure open science outlets rather than paid options in seeking to grow their academic profile.