Open Science Site Visit at Utrecht University

Last week, the IAU hosted an Institutional Site Visit at Utrecht University focusing on Open Science.

The two-day programme enabled participants to understand the impressive transformation that Utrecht University has undertaken over the past years to embrace the principles of Open Science. It showcased to what extent that commitment and engagement from all levels of the institution is crucial across the different faculties, bringing together and recognizing the important contributions of staff regardless of function or status and rewarding colleagues for their contributions to the global vision set out for the institution.

The site visit demonstrated how to initiate this important transformation and the different support structures in place which allowed this shift happen. From the role of the library to data stewards providing the necessary tools and support, it included examples of transformation towards open education and community engagement in science. The Site Visit moreover demonstrated the importance of reconsidering the structure of positions, the reward and recognition scheme, and how metrics and rankings can be counterproductive to some aspirations.

These are merely a few glimpses of what participants learned from the great team that welcomed us and took the time to share the challenges and important achievements in the Open Science transition at UU.

We encourage you all to dive into the wealth of information and resources that are available to anyone on the university website.