Newsletter of the Programme Open Science, October 2024

Dear colleagues,

We’re happy to share with you updates related to Open Access and Open Research Data tools and events, as well as the latest news from the swissuniversities Open Science Programme.

Subscribe to this newsletter here and follow us on LinkedIn for updates in the meantime.

Would you like to announce your OA or ORD event or share an update from your Open Science project? We invite you to send us your news item to by 4 November 2024 for the next Newsletter.

Many thanks and best regards,

The Open Science Team of swissuniversities

FROM THE OPEN SCIENCE PROGRAMME

Information regarding federal cost-cutting measures: Effects on the programme Open Science II

On 20 September 2024, the Federal Council announced which cost-cutting measures suggested in the report of the ‘Spending and Subsidy Review’ expert group are to be pursued further. These measures include the discontinuation of project-related contributions.

swissuniversities has been informed that for now, financial resources for the 2025-2028 programmes can only be committed for the year 2025.

The swissuniversities bodies are currently examining the impact of this measure and possible scenarios for completed, ongoing or planned calls for proposals.

For the Programme Open Science II, the swissuniversities Board has decided – subject to the decision of the Swiss Higher Education Council SHK in November – that an amount of 6.45 MCHF will be available for 2025. The Delegation Open Science will decide in December which action lines will be implemented, the form this will take, and the timing of this implementation. We will inform you about the decisions as soon as possible. In the meantime, you may find the latest information here.

Invitation: Programme Open Science Event, 22 January 2025

The swissuniversities Programme Open Science will host an event in Berne, marking the end of the Programme Open Science I (2021-2024) and the start of the Programme Open Science II. We will take stock, highlight the achievements and challenges, and provide an outlook.

The event is open to everyone who participated and contributed to the Programme Open Science as well as to those interested to learn more about the projects and activities in the field of Open Access and Open Research Data.

The event will take place at the Kornhausforum in Berne. Please register here.

NEWS FROM THE COMMUNITY

25-29 Nov. 2024: Research Data Management and Open Science in Social Sciences Workshops

The USI (Università della Svizzera italiana) invite you to register for, or promote to your doctoral and postdoctoral researcher the brand new Advanced Skills for Research Data Management and Open Science in Social Sciences course. This intensive program, developed in collaboration with the renowned Swiss Center of Expertise in the Social Sciences (FORS), equips doctoral and postdoctoral researchers in social sciences with the knowledge and practical tools to excel in today's data-driven research landscape.

This course addresses this need by providing participants with:

A comprehensive understanding of the research data lifecycle and FAIR principles.
Skills to develop a robust Data Management Plan (DMP) for their research project.
Expertise in data ethics, privacy, security, and long-term storage solutions.
Strategies to leverage data sharing and open science practices for increased impact and collaboration.
Techniques to foster reproducible research through best practices in data documentation and citation.

Thanks to generous funding from swissuniversities, USI is able to offer this comprehensive course at a competitive rate of only CHF 500.

EVENTS FROM THE COMMUNITY

24 Oct. 2024: Webinar on coverage and quality in open scholarly metadata databases for Open Access publications

Open scholarly metadata databases such as OpenAlex and OpenAIRE can be used to measure the progress of the implementation of Open Access in a country or in an institution. The coverage and quality of the publication metadata available in such databases can still be improved.

Simon Willemin (project TOBI: Towards Open Bibliometric Indicators) will first address the challenges of using such databases for quantitative purposes (bibliometrics), and then present tools for improving the metadata coverage and quality of the databases. A particular focus will be on the metadata required for analyses of OA publications output from Swiss institutions.

When: 24 October 2024, 12:15 – 13:00

Where: online via Zoom (more information here).

21-27 Oct. 2024: International Open Access Week 2024 in Switzerland

The annual International Open Access Week is a great opportunity for academic and research communities to discuss the benefits and challenges of Open Access, exchange new ideas with colleagues, and to inspire a wider public to make OA the norm in science and research. This year’s theme, "Community over Commercialization", prioritizes open scholarship approaches that benefit the public and the academic community. Many Swiss higher education institutions and libraries are collaborating to offer a diverse program of online, hybrid, and local events throughout the week. It can be found here.

21-25 Oct. 2024: Open Access Week online sessions and panel discussion

In celebration of the annual Open Access Week, the university libraries of the ZHAW, ZHdK, HfH, PHZH and BFH invite everyone to a series of online sessions between 21-25 October 2024. Topics will include Open Access publishing agreements, multimedia content and third-party rights, crowdfunding for e-books, and the datafication of publications.

24 Oct. 2024 (in Zurich and online) "Open Access in Switzerland: Are we reaching the GOALs?"

This hybrid panel discussion marks the conclusion of project GOAL, There we will meet with representatives from Swiss-based journals and their publishers, legal experts, and science policymakers to discuss the current state of Open Access in Switzerland and the challenges that lie ahead. For more information and registration, please visit the programme website.

4 Nov. 2024: Managing sensitive personal data in research

Training series and workshops organized by Data Stewards at the University of Bern (UniBE) jointly with a member of the Open Science Services from University of Zurich (UZH) and Data Stewardship Program coordinators from the University of Basel (UniBas).

When: 4 November 2024, 9:00-17:15

Where: 3012 Bern, Hochschulstrasse 4, Kuppelraum / room 501

We aim to bring together experts, data stewards and researchers working on (sensitive) personal data from different disciplines to exchange knowledge and raise awareness of the topic. Experts will provide insights on data protection regulations, infrastructures, reproducibility, data anonymization, and regulatory affairs in clinical research. The afternoon session will be dedicated to researchers from various domains presenting their challenges and potential solutions in the management of (sensitive) personal data.

Registration is open and free of charge.

Please register here until 21 October 2024.

6 Nov. 2024: Holistic and long-term integration of Open Research Data and Data Stewardship in universities of teacher education (workshop)

As part of the PgB project "Data stewardships at small and medium-sized universities of teacher education" supported by swissuniversities, the University of Teacher Education in Special Needs (HfH), in collaboration with PH St.Gallen, PH Thurgau, PH Schwyz and the Swiss Federal University for Vocational Education and Training SFUVET is organising a workshop on "Holistic and long-term integration of Open Research Data and Data Stewardship in universities of teacher education".

In a first part, the lessons learned in the establishment and promotion of Open Research Data (ORD) and Data Stewardship as well as current and future challenges of the aforementioned universities of teacher education (UTE) will be addressed. In a second part, the holistic and long-term integration of ORD and Data Stewardship in the institutions will be discussed in a panel discussion and corresponding topics will be discussed in depth in two workshops:

How can ORD and Data Stewardship be anchored in teaching and continuing education at UTE?
How can UTE cooperate in the field of ORD and Data Stewardship in the long term?

Venue: University of Teacher Education in Special Needs (HfH), Zurich; Time: 13:30-17:00 (followed by an Apéro). Visit the website for more information, updates and registration (until 29. October 2024). Language of the event is German.

7 Nov. 2024: Register now for the upcoming EnhanceR Symposium about Research IT contribution to FAIRness with focus areas:

FAIRness in practice: ideals vs reality
Ensuring FAIR AI/ML in research
Ontologies: what are they and why use them?
Assisting FAIRness lifecycle: from early planning to beyond projects' end
Infrastructures for FAIR data: in-house and public landscape

Our keynote speakers are Mark Wilkinson, author of the FAIR Guiding Principles paper, and Lars Nielsen from CERN IT presenting “Building FAIR research repositories in practice”

Event details:

Date: November 7, 2024
Time: 10h – 17h
Location: Empa in Dübendorf, Switzerland (Google Maps)
Registration ending 24^th of October (still looking for plenary and show & tell presentations)

7 Nov. 2024, 12am: Swiss EOSC Coffee November 2024: The Barcelona Declaration

In the coming years, Open Research Data and open research information (also known as metadata) will provide valuable insights on how nations are navigating the complex regulatory environment, ensuring compliance while fostering innovation. Understanding and strategically managing these elements is crucial for nations to drive economic stability and technological advancement in an increasingly interconnected digital world. Therefore, Switzerland is committed to the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC). A future 'Web of FAIR Data and services' for science in Europe.

Have you heard of the Barcelona Declaration? And do you want to know more about its origin, its strategy and aim?

Participate in the autumn edition of the SWISS EOSC COFFEE (at noon, no inscription).

Open data sources are becoming more and more available. However, numerous institutions and funders often still rely on proprietary databases for research information. Hence, the Barcelona Declaration calls on organizations performing and funding research to commit to taking a lead in reforming the research information landscape and transforming their practices.

In the upcoming EOSC COFFEE session Bianca Kramer, an independent advisor, research analyst and facilitator at Sesame Open Science and part of the coordinating team of the Barcelona Declaration, will explain what committing to the Barcelona Declaration means for an institution, which institutions have signed so far, and what the concrete plans are to bring this agenda further. There will be the opportunity to ask questions and discuss what is required to make open research data the norm, and the role Swiss institutions can take.

Language of the event is in English.

13 Nov. 2024: Next lecture of the Swiss Year of Scientometrics (SYoS)

You are kindly invited to the fifth lecture of SYoS organised in collaboration with the University of Fribourg. The lecture will be held by Bart Thijs (KU Leuven, Belgium) on: “Assessing quality of research. New approaches in response to changing expectations.”

Visit the SYoS blog for more information on Scientometrics on this link.

27 Nov. 2024: Invitation: Award Ceremony National ORD Prize 2024

The Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences cordially invite you to participate in the Award Ceremony for the National ORD Prize 2024 which is part of the Swiss National Strategy for Open Research Data (ORD).

The event will take place on 27 November 2024 at the Eventfabrik Bern (Fabrikstrasse 12, 3012 Bern).

Starting at 5 p.m., you can look forward to a program including an insightful panel discussion with members of the ORD Strategy Council, a keynote speech by Associate Professor Anneke Zuiderwijk (Delft University), and the presentation of the prize winners, including lightning talks by the winning projects. The evening will be concluded with an Apéro Riche.

28 Nov. 2024: Save-the-date! University and academic libraries in the Jura Arc: supporting and promoting research

Join us online or in person for a study day dedicated to the entire Franco-Swiss university community: discover how, on both sides of the border, projects and initiatives are opening up science to society. Whether you're a researcher, scientist or librarian, come and explore Open Access and Open Research Data practices. Through the presentation of Chronospedia, an online encyclopaedia of watchmaking knowledge and know-how, we will illustrate the collaboration between research, society, museums and documentation professionals. We will also highlight the crucial role of libraries in supporting researchers.

Don't miss this unique opportunity for sharing and collaboration!

This day is organised by the Libraries Group of the Communauté du savoir (Cds).

FROM 9.30am: SUPMlCROTECH-ENSMM, Besançon, France or online (free event with registration). More information and registration here.

If you have any questions, please contact Marylène Grzesiak (marylene.grzesiak@clutterheig-vd.ch)

4 Dec. 2024: Digital Editions in Dialogue

Digital editions are core research outputs and basic research in the humanities. The digital implementation of editions aims for completeness, in-depth indexing and sustainability. This means that editors are faced with a variety of challenges that should ideally be discussed in an extensive community.

In the fifth edition of their ongoing conference series “... in Dialogue”, the Digital Humanities and Open Science departments at Bern University Library are addressing the challenges of digital editions. As usual, hands-on parts will be combined with input from experts, and perspectives from the University of Bern will be presented and discussed alongside approaches from the wider community.

More details and free registration here.

JOB OPPORTUNITIES FROM THE COMMUNITY

Apply now: 2 new positions in the ORD Strategy Council secretariat

The National ORD Strategy Council (StraCo) is a high-level science policy body in Switzerland, created to oversee the implementation of the Swiss Open Research Data Strategy and Action Plan. Established by ETH Board, SNSF, swissuniversities, and the Swiss Academies, StraCo is a collaborative effort to advance Open Science in Switzerland.

The StraCo’s secretariat has 2 open positions:

Administrative and project management officer: Supports the seamless operation of StraCo’s activities, ensuring effective communication, robust administrative processes, and the successful execution of projects
Scientific Officer: A trusted advisor to the StraCo and its Coordination Group (CoG), providing strategic insights to support Swiss ORD initiatives

Applications for both positions are welcome by 20 October 2024. Please click on the links above for detailed information on the positions and application process.

JOB OPPORTUNITIES AT SWISSUNIVERSITIES

Have a look at the open positions and internship opportunities in the areas of Higher Education Policy, Teaching, and Research and Development.

More information can be found here.

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