The advantages are obvious: faster scientific progress, greater reproducibility of studies and closer collaboration across research fields. The strength of open science was particularly evident during the COVID-19 pandemic. The rapid publication of data enabled vaccines to be developed in record time. "The free availability of scientific knowledge not only strengthens research, but also society," emphasises Helmut Klug, who is responsible for Open Science at Graz University Library. However, there are also challenges: "Not everyone is willing to share their data - often for fear of misuse or lack of recognition," he explains. In addition, many universities still lack clear guidelines and sufficient funding for Open Science. Klug's aim is to raise awareness, attract attention and sensitise people to the topic.
Lots of potential, but also hurdles
In Austria, open science is gaining in importance. The University of Graz, for example, actively promotes Open Access and supports researchers in publishing. Nevertheless, there is still some catching up to do: While countries such as the Netherlands have long since implemented their open science strategies, Austria is still in its infancy in this regard.
One of uniko's key initiatives is Open Science Austria (OSA), which helps researchers to keep track of international developments. Student groups such as the Graz Open Science Initiative (GOSI) are also campaigning for greater transparency and accessibility in science. GOSI is an informal initiative of researchers and students from all universities in Graz, which was founded and is based at the Institute of Psychology. Its aim is to promote transparent and reproducible science, to encourage researchers to share methods, research data and code and to organise events such as journal clubs and workshops. The members have also developed a "Transparency and Open Science" form for dissertations, which offers doctoral students and researchers the opportunity to systematically record the open science practices used in their research projects.
The role of AI and open science
Artificial intelligence is a particular driver of open science. "Without open research data, the development of modern AI models would not be possible," says Klug. Especially in medical diagnostics or climate research, the developers of algorithms benefit from freely accessible data sets. At the same time, AI enables large amounts of data to be analysed more efficiently, thereby improving scientific processes.
The future of science is open - if politicians, research institutions and the research community work together. More institutional funding, clear legal rules and a cultural shift towards greater transparency are needed. "Open science is not a trend, but a necessity," says Helmut Klug. The change has long since begun - and will permanently change the way we research and share knowledge.
The University Library (Publication Services and Research Data Management) is organising a conference at Unicorn on 14 April 2025 for anyone interested: "Open Science - opportunity or challenge?" The event offers an intensive introduction to the topic and how it is already being implemented at the University of Graz.