Open Research

At The Open University (OU) we believe research should be shared openly and widely to maximise its impact. With our distinctive, open mission, we aim to foster an open research culture that maximises the use of existing research knowledge and minimises the need for duplication.

Open Research is one of the five priority areas of the OU Research Plan 2022-2027 and focusses on embedding the values of openness across the University, as well as promoting equitable publishing models that make research methods and results available quickly.

Our Statement on Open and Engaging Research outlines how we embed open mechanisms into the OU Open Research Journey from research project conception through to producing outputs. We are also committed to creating a research culture that promotes, enables and rewards open and engaging research practices for our staff and students. We are a signatory of the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA) and committed to the values of openness and equity in research assessment and career advancement in higher education.