The magic of open science

Whenever I watch someone perform a magic trick, I wonder, “How did they do that?” In vain – as everyone knows, a magician will never reveal their tricks.

Yet, it’s a different matter with academics. Although you might first wonder how the respected and eminent researcher or research group obtained the results they did when reading the first paragraphs of their journal article, you won’t have to for long. Unlike magicians, academics can and should disclose their “tricks”.

Open science is a disruptive phenomenon that is emerging around the world within the scientific community and policymakers and which aims to form novel ways to create and disseminate new knowledge. Furthermore, it is accompanied by a vivid discourse that encompasses change concerning future of scientific knowledge creation and dissemination; a discourse whose lowest common denomination is that scientific research in the near future somehow needs to open up more.

More specifically, open science is about extending the principles of openness to the whole research cycle fostering sharing and collaboration as early as possible. Thus it entails a systemic change to the way research is done. According to open science, each step of the scientific research process should be transparent and accessible, whether it’s the conception, methodology, study design, data collection, results, outputs, or the relationship between research and the rest of society.

The intention is not only to advance the credibility of scientific results among different audiences but also to improve the quality of research itself and making impact of the research more visible. Thus, open science brings about socio-cultural and technological change, based on openness and connectivity, on how research is designed, performed, captured, and assessed.

Open science is the key for academic institutions to become a part of change and improvement. More importantly, open science allows for increased communication within and across disciplines and stakeholders. It can also encourage diverse, innovative and disruptive approaches and solutions. Yet, open science can make academic institutions more inclusionary. The issue is not just about access but also participation. Thus, the open science can help academic institutions to fulfill their missions by sharing, discussing and co-creating research outputs so they have the quickest and broadest impact.

The University of Turku is at the forefront of open science. They want to develop a culture where everyone operates by the principles of open science. They ensure the support for the researchers in advancing openness throughout the research cycle and provide access to research as early as possible to enable open collaboration with companies, practitioners, citizens, and other stakeholders. Thus, they are currently on their way to create Open Science Accelerator (Avoimen tieteen kiihdyttämö) to allow everyone to get inspired by open science.

The aim is to engage and co-create together with a diversity of stakeholders that are directly or indirectly involved in scientific research processes for new and innovative research practices that are in line with the principles of open science. Moreover, the Open Science Accelerator will be at the centre of redefining the new normal, shaping the ways the research is carried out and communicated in the future.

Tämä blogikirjoitus on julkaistu ensimmäisen kerran SHIFT Business Festival:n blogissa 28.6.2021.

Laura Niemi

Kirjoittaja toimii kehittämisasiantuntijana Turun yliopiston Tutkimuspalveluissa.

Julkaisun tiedot: 1/2022, Open Up!-blogi, ISSN 2814-8967