Open Science took a prominent place in the JIRI SOM Roadmap 2021-2023 and in addition to its own narrative about research and innovation cooperation in general, is specifically highlighted in the chapters on research infrastructures and on health research, due to their particular situation as regards the research data.
In 2022 and 2023 the Commission asked independent experts to prepare a study on Open Access to scientific results in the EU and LAC, providing a detailed overview in the regions, specific countries, and making several recommendations for policy actions. The study was published by the Commission in March 2023.
A bi-regional conference on Open Access was organised by the Commission in June 2023, gathering more than 100 experts from the policy environment, to open access experts, to data repositories and others. A main outcome of the conference was the strong support to the recommendations formulated in the independent expert's report and a clear interest to intensify the dialogue and cooperation on Open Science between the two regions. The participants in the EU-LAC conference on Open Access supported the idea that stronger EU-LAC cooperation on this topic is much needed, and acknowledged the long experience of the LAC research community in it. Further, the reform of research assessment was agreed as an essential enabler for the practice of Open Science. LAC organisations were also encouraged to join the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA56).
The uploading of publications in repositories (Open Science Cloud, EOSC57), as well as fair data management is being strongly pushed by the HE programme as well as by the CELAC countries.
The questions of digital infrastructure gap or diversity of formats could affect multiple R&I areas, including open science platforms and should thus be examined, to avoid an increase of inequalities in access to science. Both regions can work together to minimise such risks. In particular, deepening such inequalities among researchers working in institutions that cannot afford increased payments due to excessive pricing imposed on authors should be avoided.
Opportunity for EU-CELAC cooperation in Open Science research:
- Intensify and structure the bi-regional dialogue to develop a better understanding of the approaches on both sides, aiming at promoting best practice policies towards an open access model that is not-for-profit and multi-format, as well as at reforming the current form of research assessment.