Open Research Programme

Programme Overview

The UK Reproducibility Network (UKRN; www.ukrn.org) promotes rigorous and transparent research through collaboration among researchers, institutions, funders, publishers, and others. Its flagship Open Research Programme (ORP), running from 2021 to 2027, aims to accelerate the adoption of high-quality open research practices by:

• Building institutional capacity via a train-the-trainer project
• Supporting reform of reward and recognition systems
• Sharing and learning from policies and practices
• Providing evaluation tools for planning
• Developing a sustainable, long-term model

Details of each project within the ORP are outlined below.

Why Does This Matter?

Open research enables wider sharing and reuse of research outputs, which is both morally important, given public and charitable funding, and practically beneficial, allowing for greater efficiency (e.g., secondary data analysis).

It also supports research integrity and good practice (e.g., proper data curation), and enhances transparency, enabling assumptions and errors to be identified and addressed.

The ORP provides tools, such as training, indicators, shared guidance, and coordinated incentives to support this shift. Now is the time to use them.

What Do You Need to Do?

Senior leaders: Contact your UKRN Institutional Lead to support or join the ORP. If your institution isn’t yet a member, joining is simple and enables participation.  Institutional leads

Research enablers: (e.g., library staff): Speak to your Open Research Coordinator or Administrator to access train-the-trainer courses.
Researchers: (e.g., postdocs, PIs): Contact your Coordinator or Administrator to explore available training, workshops, and initiatives like open research prizes. Your institution may also include open research in promotion criteria.
All: Join your UKRN Local Network to connect with peers across disciplines and career stages.

Not sure if your institution is a member? Check here.

Recording – Introduction to UK Reproducibility Network

Train-the-Trainer Project

Open research training varies across institutions and is often self-directed or lacks open licensing. This project builds staff skills through:

• A schema of core open research topics
• A catalogue of high-quality training resources
• Trainer accreditation
• Partnerships to deliver training aligned with the schema

It also supports a community of practice for sharing materials and developing new resources collaboratively.

Reward and Recognition Project

Reward and recognition are key to encouraging open research. This project supports institutions in implementing responsible researcher assessment through:

• Resources and tools
• A community of practice for sharing and engagement
• Ongoing evaluation via surveys to track institutional progress

Sharing and Learning Project

This project helps institutions adopt and share open research practices by focusing on:

• Sharing resources like procedures, training, tools, and policies
• Developing a web platform and repository to make these assets findable and reusable
• Showcasing examples of good sharing practices to encourage adoption

Evaluation Project

To assess the ORP’s impact, this project tracks open research uptake through:

• A self-report survey
• Open research indicators

It provides insights at both programme and institutional levels, supporting evaluation of policy effectiveness over time.

Management and Sustainability Project

This project ensures effective governance, communication, and commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion. It also:

• Expands programme partnerships
• Develops and tests a sustainability model for long-term institutional engagement
• Aligns with broader UKRN sustainability efforts

Other Partners

A guide to our other partner’s contribution to the programme