Open science
Research and innovation are key to attaining the Sustainable Development Goals. This requires research results to be shared with other researchers and society at large, and publicly funded knowledge must be translated into practice. This is very much a question of fairness – knowledge produced with the help of public funds should benefit everyone. For this reason, Formas has long been actively working, both nationally and internationally, with open science and to enable a transition to an open science system.
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What is open science?
Open science is an umbrella term that includes open access to scientific publications, open access to research data, and new ways of assessing the impact and use of research. It also includes “opening up” science to allow more stakeholders to participate in the research process – and enabling researchers to earn qualifications in other ways than simply publishing, such as by sharing their research data, disseminating knowledge, and collaborating with a range of societal actors.
Unesco Recommendation on Open Science
The definition of open science is based on the UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science External link., which was adopted by all member states in 2021. The recommendation states that access to science is a human right and that scientific work worldwide should be made more accessible and inclusive. The recommendation aims to promote a common understanding of open science. Central principles that publicly funded research should adhere to are transparency, scrutiny, critique, and reproducibility; equality of opportunities; responsibility, respect, and accountability; collaboration, participation, and inclusion; flexibility; and sustainability. The recommendation calls for more dialogue between the public and private sectors, and for the development of innovative approaches to open science. Finally, the recommendation emphasises the importance of including citizens in research and the need for collaboration between different types of actors – nationally and internationally.
National guidelines for open science
Formas’ work with open science also considers the National guidelines for open science External link., drawn up by the National Library of Sweden in 2023 on behalf of the Government. The guidelines, which are in line with the UNESCO Recommendation for Open Science, are also based on the Government’s stated goals in the research bills from 2020 and 2024. The goal is for immediate open-access publication of results from publicly funded research from 2021 and for the transition to open access to research data to be fully realised by 2026.
The guidelines link international recommendations and the ongoing work at the national level. They clearly identify higher education institutions and research funding bodies as the primary organisations that need to develop policies, infrastructure, and guidance to support researchers in applying open science. As such, these guidelines also form the basis for a Swedish open science strategy.
EU requirements
The European Commission has already adopted an open science policy. Open science requirements are also an integral part of Horizon Europe, the EU’s Framework Programme for Research and Innovation.
National assignment on open science
Since 2017, the National Library of Sweden has been tasked by the Government to coordinate Swedish efforts for open access to scientific publications External link.. The Swedish Research Council has a similar mandate to coordinate Swedish efforts on introducing open access to research data
External link..
The work being done by Formas
Formas focuses its open science efforts, which occurs both on national and international levels, on three main areas: Open access to scientific publications, open access to research data, and the development of scientific assessment and merit of research and researchers. The transition to an open science system requires valorising, assessing, and recognising a wider range of research contributions and results.
Below you can read more about our work and our requirements.
Open access to scientific publications
An important aspect of transitioning to an open science system is enabling everyone to freely access the publications resulting from publicly funded research. But many scientific articles are still locked behind publisher paywalls. Companies, decision-makers in municipalities and public agencies, schools, and the general public are often excluded from accessing the knowledge that has been enabled through public funds. Meanwhile, the costs of agreements with publishers have increased at a rate that has also made it difficult for universities and other research providers to access articles in journals. Costs are also high for researchers to publish in the journals. Publication also often means that the rights to the publication are handed over to the publisher.
Plan S and Coalition S
In 2018 Formas joined the international initiative Plan S to drive the movement towards open access of publications. Plan S is aimed at ensuring that results from research conducted with grants from public research funding bodies be published with immediate open access. The plan was supported by several international research funding bodies, which together form the association Coalition S External link.. The Swedish participants are Formas, Forte, and Vinnova. Our support for Plan S has resulted, among other things, in a requirement for immediate open access to the scientific publications resulting from the research projects we fund as of 1 January 2021.
Requirements from Formas for immediate open access publication
Publications that have received funding as of 1 January 2021 are required to be immediately available through open access, without delay. This requirement applies to articles that have been accepted for publication in scientific journals, conference reports, and on publishing platforms. These rules do not apply to publications in monographs and anthologies. More information for recipients of funding from Formas and how to proceed is available on this page: Open access to research results and data External link..
Joint network for research-funding organisations for open access to publications
Together with Forte, the Swedish Research Council, Vinnova, and a number of research foundations, Formas participates in a joint network for research-funding organisations that looks at issues related to open access to publications. Representatives from the National Library of Sweden (KB) and the Swedish Association of Higher Education Institutions (SUHF) also participate. The purpose of the network is to discuss and share information about developments in open access to publications.
National advisory group on redirecting payments for scientific publishing
Together with Forte, the Swedish Research Council, Vinnova, the National Library, and representatives from SUHF, Formas participates in an advisory group on the funding of open access to publications. The group was established in 2019 on the initiative of the National Library. The advisory group bases its work on the recommendations formulated in the investigation “Financing the transition from a subscription-based to an open access publishing system External link.”. The investigation was conducted within the framework of the National Library’s national coordination assignment for open access.
The aim is to develop, based on the above-noted recommendations, a goal for the national cooperation between funding bodies and higher education institutions for the redirection of payments for scientific publications.
Formas supports agreements with publishers
In 2023, Formas joined Forte, the Swedish Research Council, and Vinnova in agreeing to jointly finance publication by publishers that only publish entirely open access journals. The decision is a result of the work within the advisory group on redirecting payments for scientific publishing. The funders’ decision means that all researchers in Sweden whose organisations are linked to the library consortium Bibsam External link. can publish free of charge in any of the journals covered by the agreements. It also means that the funding bodies take shared responsibility for publishing costs for open access, which are otherwise largely borne by higher education institutions in Sweden. Support for publishing with publishers that only publish open access journals also provides an important alternative to traditional publishers, where publishing is still dominated by a large proportion of articles locked behind paywalls. Read more about the agreement here
External link. under “Publishing costs”.
The Open Research Europe publishing platform
Open Research Europe (ORE) External link. is a non-profit publication venue with peer review for European Commission-funded researchers across all disciplines. It does not apply review or author fees. In its current form, ORE is led by the European Commission.
From 2026, the Commission would like to open the platform to researchers beyond European Commission-funded researchers. The initiative stems from the need to provide access to other models for immediate open access publishing than the prevailing publisher-driven models. Formas participates jointly with Forte and the Swedish Research Council, together with several other European funding bodies, in the discussions with the European Commission on financing and developing the platform.
Open access to research data
Open science is more than publishing research results. Access to research data is also an important issue for Formas. Many research projects generate research data that can be useful not only within the project but also analysed further by others. Good data management is crucial for enabling this.
Anyone applying for funding from Formas needs to have a data management plan that explains how the data produced in the project will be handled after the project has ended. The plan should not be submitted us unless specifically required in the relevant call text, but you should be able to present the plan upon request.
There is an inter-agency group working with open data and led by the Swedish Research Council, with Formas as a member. This group has discussed the problem of data retention as a significant challenge for Swedish research. More support for researchers regarding storage, structuring, and standardising data management is important, not least to facilitate the reuse of data.
Formas also follows the work taking place at the EU level linked to open access data and works for harmonisation in the area. An example of this is the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC). This is an initiative by the European Commission on creating a shared, open, and virtual environment that should be able to provide services for the storage, management, sharing, analysis, and use of research data. The initiative is based on the vision of an open and accessible innovation and science society – in Europe and globally.
Development of scientific assessment and merit
The current movement for – and the transition to – an open science system requires new types of scientific assessments that consider all types of contributions and results that research and innovation can entail. Formas is active and a driving force in this development.
Declaration on Research Assessment
In 2018, we signed the Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA) External link., a recognition of the need to develop how research is assessed. We also implemented measures in our instructions and guidelines for research applications to both applicants and reviewers. Basic principles within DORA are that it is the quality of what has been published that must be assessed and not where (such as a journal) an article has been published. In addition, contributions and results other than publications must also be assessed and valued equally. This can include such aspects as the dissemination of knowledge, making data accessible, software, patents, products, and contributions to the advancement of policies.
Principles for the funding process
In 2021, the Formas research council adopted a number of basic principles for the funding process External link. that govern our calls and review processes. The principles are developed according to internationally agreed standards for the review of applications for research and innovation (Statement of Principles on Peer/Merit Review, Global Research Council 2018).
Reforming how research and researchers are assessed
In 2022, Formas signed the international Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment. We are active members of the coalition that was formed shortly thereafter, Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA). External link. Today, CoARA is a growing global movement that involves a large number of organisations within the research and innovation system from around 50 countries. The purpose of the coalition is to develop the assessment system, with a focus on open science and a common view of how research and researchers should best be assessed and valued.
The agreement within CoARA External link. is based on a number of measures and principles for assessing and acquiring qualifications. These measures include the following:
- Value a diversity of scientific contributions and careers
- Base research assessments primarily on qualitative evaluation, supported by responsible use of quantitative indicators
- Abandon inappropriate uses in research assessment of journal- and publication-based metrics, in particular inappropriate uses of Journal Impact Factor (JIF) and h-index
- Avoid the use of rankings of research organisations in research assessment
For coalition members like Formas, the measures mean reviewing and developing criteria, tools, and processes, communicating about developed assessments, and providing support in using new processes.
The principles for assessment include valorising open science practices, including collaborative research and different forms of cooperation; recognising the diversity of research activities, roles, and practices; ensuring gender equality and equal opportunities within research teams; and integrating such aspects into research content.
Formas works within the Coara framework
Formas works continuously to develop our research funding system. In 2023–2024, we have developed two new calls, “Career Grant for Early-career Researchers” and “Explore”. As part of this development work, we have looked at how the applicants’ qualifications can be described more appropriately, in line with our commitments from CoARA. This resulted in a new CV format, Academic Profile, which was tested in both the “Career Grant” and “Explore” calls. The academic profile allows the applicant to describe in a more narrative form their experiences and competences – and how these are relevant to the project in question. To promote an open science system, we have developed assessment criteria for open science, which are being tested in “Explore”.
These pilots are intended to develop the assessment of applications to better accommodate a diversity of scientific contributions and careers, and to valorise different practices in open science. A new CV format supports this by better enabling applicants to describe and justify the contributions they want to highlight in relation to the project they are applying for.
We also participate in an international working group within CoARA, Towards Transformations: Transdisciplinarity, Applied/Practice-Based Research, and Impacts External link.. This group aims to explore and develop tools and processes that help to valorise and better assess collaborations between different scientific disciplines and societal actors.
A Swedish chapter of Coara
In autumn 2024, a Swedish National Chapter of CoARA was inaugurated. The aim is to help CoARA members implement the commitments of the agreement in a national context. National chapters contribute to CoARA’s work by facilitating the sharing of knowledge, joint learning, and discussions on CoARA-relevant issues, which are specific to different types of organisations in each country. The Swedish chapter was initiated and is led by the Swedish Association of Higher Education Institutions (SUHF). Some 20 Swedish universities, other stakeholders within the research and innovation system, and funding bodies, including Formas, participate.