Open Science Roadmap: Key recommendations

Explore the key recommendations of the Open Science Roadmap, a report by the University of Ottawa’s Open Science Working Group that outlines goals to advance open research practices.

Mandate

Aligned with the report's recommendations, the Open Science Working Group aims to position the University of Ottawa as a leader in open science while ensuring it remains a competitive collaborator both nationally and internationally. The group also strives to advance groundbreaking and impactful research at the University.

Co-chaired by Martine Lagacé, associate vice-president, research, promotion and development, and Talia Chung, University of Ottawa librarian and dean of libraries, the working group was tasked with evaluating the state of open science at uOttawa. Their mandate included defining the University’s goals for open research practices while considering disciplinary differences, its commitment to the Francophonie mission, and the importance of a distinctions-based approach for projects involving First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities.

Find out more about the Open Science Working Group

Questions analyzed by the group

  • How can the University leverage its current strengths in terms of open science and further promote open practices to achieve the vision set out in Transformation 2030? 
  • What set of principles can the University develop to guide open practices and open access investments that support uOttawa’s research activities? 
  • How can uOttawa support and incentivize open research practices by creating, disseminating and improving accessibility for research in French, which is fundamental to the University’s mandate? 
  • What approaches and best practices have been adopted by peer institutions, in Canada and internationally, to increase engagement in open science?  
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University of Ottawa STEM building

Read the full report

Open Science Roadmap: Report by the Open Science Working Group

Key recommendations

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Pillar A: Foster a culture of open science at uOttawa

Foster a culture of open science at uOttawa by training researchers and creating roles dedicated to promoting and coordinating open science practices.

  • A.1 Education: Implement training programs, workshops and events that train researchers in open science practices.
  • A.2 Capacity building: Assign dedicated roles and create task forces to promote and advocate for open science practices and to coordinate existing expertise.
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Pillar B: Value open science practices

Value open science practices by integrating them into hiring, tenure and promotion processes, and by offering institutional incentives and initiatives that recognize open research.

  • B.1 Hiring, tenure and promotion: Integrate open science into the academic reward system and adopt evaluation frameworks to foster and value diversity in scholarly communication
  • B.2 Institutional incentives: Implement recognition and reward mechanisms that incentivize open science practices, including awards and prizes, teaching releases, competitions or communication initiatives that highlight open research.
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Pillar C: Promote and invest in open infrastructure

Provide tools and resources and conduct regular progress evaluations to guide the community in open science practices and support evidence-based decision-making

  • C.1 Tools and resources: Create new tools and resources, and promote existing ones, to build awareness, encourage best practices and provide guidance to the community in navigating the complex landscape of open science.
  • C.2 Evaluating progress: Evaluate the progress towards making research outputs and practices open and transparent, and recognize the importance of regular monitoring to support evidence-based decision making.
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Pillar D: Integrate open science into uOttawa’s strategic plan

Embed open science into uOttawa’s strategic plan by adopting leading open science policies and prioritizing support for Francophone researchers and French-language open research.

  • D1. Policy: Be a Canadian leader by implementing open science policies and endorsing relevant declarations and initiatives that align with its strategic objectives as well as Canadian and international developments.
  • D.2 Francophonie and bilingualism: Place particular emphasis on promoting and supporting open research outputs by the French-language community, and support Francophone researchers in publishing and communicating their work.
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University of Ottawa Press open access program

Did you know? The University of Ottawa Press (UOP) is dedicated to publishing open access books. Its collection features over 100 eBooks, all freely accessible online or available for download in PDF format at no cost.
Learn more about the University of Ottawa Press open access program