The Open Science Network (OSN) Bielefeld is a network of researchers from different faculties who share an interest in transparent, reproducible and trustworthy research. Within the network, researchers exchange experiences, practices, resources and tools. In addition, the OSN develops Open Science at the university in a number of projects.
Open Science is good research practice in a digitally networked world: it includes publishing in Open Access formats; sharing research data, which is seen as a valuable asset and supports transparency, re-usability and reproducibility of research. But it also includes open source, open methodology, open educational resources and more. Open Science touches all aspects of the science and research system.
These different fields and approaches share common aims: Verifiability and reproducibility of research, transparency of the research process, public credibility of science and synergies between research activities.
Bielefeld University has long been involved in various areas of Open Science, e.g. Open Access and Open Data. Be it the establishment of an Open Access repository (2003), the Open Access Resolution (2005, one of the first in Germany), the Resolution on Research Data Management (2013) or the establishment of the Competence Centre for Research Data Management (2018), participation in Open Access Transformative Agreements, the development of open infrastructures such as BASE and in OpenAIRE, support for the production of open educational resources (TiL team), infrastructure for open source (GitLab, Conquaire project) and many others. Bielefeld University is at the forefront of development in many important areas of Open Science.
Since the winter semester 2022/2023, the interdisciplinary course "Open Minds for Open Science - An Interdisciplinary Introduction to Open Science" is a part of the module "Data Literacy - Cultural Techniques of the 21st Century", can be taken as part of the Individual Supplement to a degree programme and has been available on the topic of Open Science. This seminar has taken place four times so far.
We strongly belief that the topic of Open Science should be in the most qualified hands: the scholars'. We are therefore proposing a network of scholars passionate about Open Science all across Bielefeld University. For that purpose, the University Library and the Bielefeld Center for Data Science have joined forces to build this network together with you and to support it to the best of their abilities.
Anchoring the Open Science Network at two central institutions guarantees continuity. But only the involvement of open science interested scholars can guarantee topical relevance. We are providing the canvas, but it is at you to fill it!
OSN is intended to be an offer by scientists for scientists. The Open Science Network is therefore already a peer format by design.In this project, however, we want to develop a peer format on more concrete topics/tools.
One example would be the format of the so-called Hacky Hour, which has already attracted some attention in the past. The basic idea is that researchers meet and help each other with the use of specific (software) tools relevant to Open Science. In some of these meetings, an expert on a specific tool or method could give a short introduction to that tool. Afterwards, the scientists could test and experiment with this tool and the expert would be available to answer questions. Past Hacky Hours have covered tools such as Cadmandu, Jupyter, ...
The project will start in the coming weeks. If you are interested in getting involved, get in touch at osn@uni-bielefeld.de!
Open Science is a transformation in science - it is about changing the way science is done.This transformation clearly starts with the young generation!
The Open Science Network created a seminar offer for all students, in which they are taught the ideas of Open Science, learn Open Science practices and also clarify the necessity/benefits of Open Science.
The seminar is being taught for the first time in the summer term 2022 and has been held four times since then. If you are interested in helping to shape this teaching offer, please contact osn@uni-bielefeld.de!
Open Science is also about learning from each other. There are many publications, handouts, best practice examples and other resources on the topic.
However, the resources relevant to a particular topic are not always easy to find.The Open Science Network aims to provide support here by compiling and commenting on relevant Open Science resources.
This project will also be launched in the next few weeks. If you are interested in participating in this project or simply want to draw our attention to a particular resource, please send us an email at osn@uni-bielefeld.de!
Motivation and goals for the Open Science Network at Bielefeld University are described in the following white paper:
Hachmeister, N., & Schirrwagen, J. (2021). Open Science Whitepaper – Universität Bielefeld. https://doi.org/10.4119/unibi/2956951
The Open Science Network is jointly coordinated by Bielefeld University Library and the Bielefeld Center for Data Science (BiCDaS).
E-Mail: osn@uni-bielefeld.de