University of Zagreb Adopts Open Science Policy

The Senate of the University of Zagreb adopted the Open Science Policy of the University of Zagreb at its regular meeting held on September 24, 2024.

The University of Zagreb is the largest and oldest university in Croatia, responsible for over 50% of the country's scientific output. As a leading academic institution in Croatia, the University recognizes its role in shaping and promoting best practices in science. Open science is a practice that strengthens the integrity of research work and builds public trust in science and scientific knowledge, ensuring equality and fairness in access to knowledge, as well as diversity and inclusivity in knowledge creation. It enhances the collaborative aspect of scientific work and acknowledges the importance of involving all societal stakeholders in defining scientific goals and conducting research.

The Open Science Policy of the University of Zagreb was shaped in response to the need for improving accessibility and transparency in scientific research. In creating its own open science policy, the University relies on policies and principles established by the European Union, as well as guidelines from international organizations like UNESCO and international university alliances to which it belongs. This policy also builds on the Croatian initiative for an Open Science Cloud (HR-OOZ) and its proposal for a Croatian Open Science Plan, with the University actively participating in both.

By adopting the Open Science Policy, the University aims to increase the availability of research results, ensuring that scientific papers and data are accessible to all interested stakeholders. The goal is for all publications resulting from the research work of employees and students at the University, as well as all its own publications (and those from all components), to be available through open access. This policy encourages transparent sharing of methodologies and research results, as well as sharing information about authors' affiliations and funding sources. It advocates for handling data according to FAIR principles, promotes openness in codes and other research process outcomes, encourages the creation and publication of open educational resources, and supports the development of open infrastructure for scientific information. The University relies on infrastructural support from the University Computing Centre (SRCE) and its partners, particularly through the development of the Croatian Scientific Information System (CroRIS) and institutional repositories (DABAR).

Furthermore, through its Open Science Policy, the University of Zagreb seeks to enhance connectivity and facilitate easier collaboration among scientists, institutions, and the broader public while ensuring the development of citizen science. The adopted open science policy is expected to lead to faster development of new ideas and technologies, along with greater social and economic benefits from scientific results.

You can find the complete text of the Open Science Policy of the University of Zagreb here.