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Open Science: Regional consultation for Western Europe and North America
Open Science is a global movement aiming to make science more accessible, democratic, transparent and beneficial for all. To build a global consensus on Open Science, and in line with the decision taken by the UNESCO General Conference in November 2019, the development of the UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science relies on an inclusive, transparent and consultative process involving all countries and stakeholders and taking stock of the different regional perspectives.
As part of the series of regional and thematic consultations organized in the framework of the implementation of the consolidated roadmap towards a UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science, the online Regional Consultation for Western Europe and North America to the UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science took place online on Thursday, 23 July 2020.
Organized by UNESCO in partnership with the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) and The World Academy of Sciences for the advancement of science in developing countries (TWAS), in collaboration with EuroDIG, and as a satellite event of ESOF2020, the meeting brought together some 160 participants including UNESCO Member States representatives, key scientific international, regional and national institutions, citizens and traditional knowledge holders with the aim to provide a platform for inputs from West European and North American scientists, science funders, policy makers, innovators, publishers and other concerned stakeholders to the UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science.
In her welcome remarks, Shamila Nair-Bedouelle, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Natural Sciences, referred to the importance of science in informing societies and enabling evidence-based decision-making for sustainable development and overcoming the environmental and health challenges. She also pointed out to the need for involving all stakeholders in the development of the UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science, as everyone can contribute to the scientific advancement for a sustainable future for humankind.
Dr Atish Dabholkar, Director of ICTP, reminded the vision of its founder and first Director, the Pakistani theoretical physicist Abdus Salam, which was to promote and share knowledge among all scientist regardless of their region, ethnicity or gender. Dr Dabholkar mentioned that the digital divide and the lack of human and institutional capacity in Science are two of the main barriers to Open Science in many developing countries. He recalled ICTP’s commitment to remove these barriers by enhancing connectivity promoting collaborative science around the world and referred to the motto of ESOF 2020, “Science for freedom, freedom for science”.
Peggy Oti-Boateng, Director of the Division of Science Policy and Capacity-Building, within the Natural Sciences Sector of UNESCO introduced the audience to the roadmap towards the UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science, and briefly presented the preliminary results of the global online consultation led by UNESCO. She underlined the importance of Science at the service of the UN SDGs and highlighted the need for a global consensus on the meaning, opportunities and challenges of Open Science.
During the first session of the meeting, “Open Science in Europe and North America: Key Challenges and Opportunities”, the six invited experts provided some insights on the current strategies, policies, initiatives and lessons learned related to the transition to Open Science in their respective countries and/or institutions. The discussion, moderated by Mr Jonathan Baker, Regional Advisor for Science and Head of the Science Unit at the UNESCO Regional Bureau for Scienceand Culture for Europe, initiated a very interactive and dynamic conversation between speakers and audience in the chat, mainly focusing on the need for infrastructures, a change in the evaluation system, as well as the crucial role of citizen science.
The second part of the meeting included a virtual round table under the title “Key messages from Europe and North America for the UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science”, moderated by Ms Ana Persic, Programme Specialist within the Division of Science Policy and Capacity-Building at UNESCO. The session, including panellists from WHO, EUA, GOFAIR, aimed to exchange on the different perspectives of the main Open Science stakeholders, and to better understand how the transition to Open Science can be truly fair and benefit to all: from young scientists to indigenous people, from international organizations dealing with science and health to the private sector, universities, and associations. The virtual round table included a fruitful discussion in the chat about new funding models, bibliodiversity, international collaborations, and the role of publishers and FAIR data in a context of Open Science beyond Open Access initiatives.
The meeting discussions were welcomed by all stakeholders and the key inputs and outcomes will feed the draft text of the UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science, and will also be presented at ESOF2020 event, currently planned from 2 to 6 September.
More information:
Towards a UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science
Regional Consultations on Open Science
As part of the series of regional and thematic consultations organized in the framework of the implementation of the consolidated roadmap towards a UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science, the online Regional Consultation for Western Europe and North America to the UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science took place online on Thursday, 23 July 2020.
Organized by UNESCO in partnership with the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) and The World Academy of Sciences for the advancement of science in developing countries (TWAS), in collaboration with EuroDIG, and as a satellite event of ESOF2020, the meeting brought together some 160 participants including UNESCO Member States representatives, key scientific international, regional and national institutions, citizens and traditional knowledge holders with the aim to provide a platform for inputs from West European and North American scientists, science funders, policy makers, innovators, publishers and other concerned stakeholders to the UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science.
In her welcome remarks, Shamila Nair-Bedouelle, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Natural Sciences, referred to the importance of science in informing societies and enabling evidence-based decision-making for sustainable development and overcoming the environmental and health challenges. She also pointed out to the need for involving all stakeholders in the development of the UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science, as everyone can contribute to the scientific advancement for a sustainable future for humankind.
Dr Atish Dabholkar, Director of ICTP, reminded the vision of its founder and first Director, the Pakistani theoretical physicist Abdus Salam, which was to promote and share knowledge among all scientist regardless of their region, ethnicity or gender. Dr Dabholkar mentioned that the digital divide and the lack of human and institutional capacity in Science are two of the main barriers to Open Science in many developing countries. He recalled ICTP’s commitment to remove these barriers by enhancing connectivity promoting collaborative science around the world and referred to the motto of ESOF 2020, “Science for freedom, freedom for science”.
Peggy Oti-Boateng, Director of the Division of Science Policy and Capacity-Building, within the Natural Sciences Sector of UNESCO introduced the audience to the roadmap towards the UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science, and briefly presented the preliminary results of the global online consultation led by UNESCO. She underlined the importance of Science at the service of the UN SDGs and highlighted the need for a global consensus on the meaning, opportunities and challenges of Open Science.
During the first session of the meeting, “Open Science in Europe and North America: Key Challenges and Opportunities”, the six invited experts provided some insights on the current strategies, policies, initiatives and lessons learned related to the transition to Open Science in their respective countries and/or institutions. The discussion, moderated by Mr Jonathan Baker, Regional Advisor for Science and Head of the Science Unit at the UNESCO Regional Bureau for Scienceand Culture for Europe, initiated a very interactive and dynamic conversation between speakers and audience in the chat, mainly focusing on the need for infrastructures, a change in the evaluation system, as well as the crucial role of citizen science.
The second part of the meeting included a virtual round table under the title “Key messages from Europe and North America for the UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science”, moderated by Ms Ana Persic, Programme Specialist within the Division of Science Policy and Capacity-Building at UNESCO. The session, including panellists from WHO, EUA, GOFAIR, aimed to exchange on the different perspectives of the main Open Science stakeholders, and to better understand how the transition to Open Science can be truly fair and benefit to all: from young scientists to indigenous people, from international organizations dealing with science and health to the private sector, universities, and associations. The virtual round table included a fruitful discussion in the chat about new funding models, bibliodiversity, international collaborations, and the role of publishers and FAIR data in a context of Open Science beyond Open Access initiatives.
The meeting discussions were welcomed by all stakeholders and the key inputs and outcomes will feed the draft text of the UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science, and will also be presented at ESOF2020 event, currently planned from 2 to 6 September.
More information:
Towards a UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science
Regional Consultations on Open Science
1 August 2020
Last update:20 April 2023
