Openness and Transparency

“Open science is a set of principles and practices that aim to make scientific research from all fields accessible to everyone for the benefits of scientists and society. Open science is about making sure not only that scientific knowledge is accessible but also that the production of that knowledge itself is inclusive, equitable and sustainable” (UNESCO, 2024)

Openness and transparency are key principles in the design and implementation of European Partnerships. Partnerships should demonstrate openness towards relevant partners and stakeholders already in the process of the programme design and remain open to newcomers and interested parties throughout their lifetime. Adopting the openness and transparency principle and ensuring the right portfolio of partners helps to identify priorities and build partnerships’ vision and work plan, attain strategic policy goals, and maximize the programme’s impact.

“Open science is an approach to research based on open cooperative work that emphasizes the sharing of knowledge, results and tools as early and widely as possible. It is mandatory under Horizon Europe, and it operates on the principle of being ‘as open as possible, as closed as necessary’” (EC, 2024) 

Implementation of open science approaches is expected to foster efficiency, productivity, transparency, and robustness, as well as responsivity to policy and societal needs and expectations. It also supports collaboration across a broad range of relevant stakeholder groups. Horizon Europe has two mandatory open science practices: Open access to publications and making research data (‘as open as possible, as closed as necessary’.

European Partnerships can leverage the possibilities made available through the European Open Science Cloud. This enables knowledge valorisation and greater collaboration among stakeholders. Implementing open science approaches is also facilitated by following the FAIR (findable, accessible, interoperable, reusable) data principles.