Open Science
What is Open Science?
Open Science is a global movement that promotes the sharing and use of scientific knowledge. Researchers make knowledge, research findings, software, and other scientific information available to others as soon as possible. This enables researchers to collaborate more effectively, learn from one another, and build on existing knowledge.
Why is Open Science important to LUMC?
For better healthcare and research
Healthcare challenges are becoming increasingly complex. Open Science therefore encourages the sharing of knowledge, research findings, and other scientific information, such as research methods and software. This enables researchers to build on each other's work, develop new insights more quickly, and make better use of existing knowledge. This increases the chances of finding new solutions to health challenges and helps accelerate the application of scientific knowledge in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.
…For better healthcare and research
Healthcare challenges are becoming increasingly complex. Open Science therefore encourages the sharing of knowledge, research findings, and other scientific information, such as research methods and software. This enables researchers to build on each other's work, develop new insights more quickly, and make better use of existing knowledge. This increases the chances of finding new solutions to health challenges and helps accelerate the application of scientific knowledge in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.
For stronger societal engagement
Research has the greatest value when it addresses the questions and needs of society. Open Science therefore makes scientific knowledge accessible to the public while also encouraging the involvement of patients, citizens, and community organizations in research. By bringing together scientific knowledge and real-world experience, it helps generate insights and solutions that are better aligned with everyday practice.
This is why Open Science is an important part of LUMC's 2024–2028 strategy, Driven by Health.
How does LUMC put Open Science into practice?
At LUMC, research findings are made freely accessible through Open Access, research data and software are responsibly shared and reused in line with the FAIR principles, patients and citizens are actively involved in research through Citizen Science, and scientific knowledge is shared with society through Science Outreach.
Open Access: freely available research
Open Access is a publishing model that makes scientific knowledge freely accessible to everyone. Scientific publications can be read, downloaded, shared, and reused without payment or other barriers. This gives not only researchers access to new knowledge, but also healthcare professionals, policymakers, patients, journalists, and other interested members of the public.
By making research available to a global audience, Open Access increases the visibility, reach, and impact of scientific publications. Publications are easier to find, read more widely, and can be used more quickly in research, education, policy, and practice. As a result, new insights can spread more rapidly within and beyond the scientific community.
FAIR data and software: maximizing the use of research data
Open Access makes scientific publications accessible to everyone. FAIR Data and Software focuses on the research data, software, and analytical methods that underpin those publications.
LUMC follows the FAIR principles in research data management. FAIR stands for Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable. This means that research data and software are managed in a way that makes it easy to find, access, exchange, and reuse by both people and computers.
Researchers often collect large amounts of data during the course of their work. Through data stewardship, they document where data come from, what they mean, and how they have been processed. Good data stewardship helps make research more reliable and enables data to be reused more easily.
The software, source code, and scripts used in research are also carefully documented, managed, and maintained. This enables researchers to better understand how results were generated, to verify and reuse those results, and to build on previous research.
Research data are shared responsibly and in accordance with applicable privacy and data protection regulations. Not all data can be made publicly available, but it is still important to document which data were used and how they were managed.
Through FAIR Data and effective data stewardship, research data and software remain not only available but also reusable for verifying results, conducting follow-up research, and generating new insights.
Citizen Science: doing research together
Research has the greatest impact when it reflects the needs and experiences of the people it is intended to benefit. That is why LUMC actively involves patients, citizens, professionals, and community organizations in scientific research. This collaborative approach is often referred to as patient participation, citizen participation, or Citizen Science.
…Research has the greatest impact when it reflects the needs and experiences of the people it is intended to benefit. That is why LUMC actively involves patients, citizens, professionals, and community organizations in scientific research. This collaborative approach is often referred to as patient participation, citizen participation, or Citizen Science.
In Citizen Science, patients and citizens can contribute at different stages of the research process. For example, they may help formulate research questions, share their experiences, collect data, or contribute to the interpretation of research findings.
This gives researchers a better understanding of the realities of everyday life for patients and other stakeholders. What challenges do they face? Which solutions matter most to them? And what works in real life? As a result, research is better aligned with the needs of patients and society, increasing the likelihood that findings will be used in practice. In this way, Citizen Science helps make research more inclusive and relevant.
Citizen Science also brings science and society closer together. By actively involving patients and citizens in research, a more equal partnership develops between researchers and the people the research is intended for. In doing so, LUMC fulfills its societal role by connecting science, healthcare, and society.
Science outreach: sharing science with society
Scientific research has the greatest value when the knowledge it generates reaches a broad audience. That is why LUMC actively shares scientific knowledge with patients, citizens, healthcare professionals, policymakers, and other interested audiences. We translate scientific insights into information that is clear, understandable, and accessible.
…Scientific research has the greatest value when the knowledge it generates reaches a broad audience. That is why LUMC actively shares scientific knowledge with patients, citizens, healthcare professionals, policymakers, and other interested audiences. We translate scientific insights into information that is clear, understandable, and accessible.
This form of science communication is called Science Outreach. We do this in many different ways. Through news articles, public events, education, social media, podcasts, and other initiatives, researchers make their work accessible to a broad audience. In doing so, they demonstrate how research contributes to better healthcare, improved health outcomes, and solutions to societal challenges.
By exchanging knowledge, questions, and experiences, Science Outreach encourages dialogue between researchers and society. This helps people better understand how scientific research works and how new knowledge is created. At the same time, researchers gain a deeper understanding of the issues and concerns that matter to society. In this way, Science Outreach helps strengthen the connection between science and society.
Curious to see what this looks like in practice? Visit the Science Outreach section for inspiring examples of how LUMC makes science accessible to a broad audience.
Advancing Open Science
At LUMC, Open Science is not a standalone initiative but a way of working. By sharing knowledge, making research data more reusable, involving patients and citizens in research, and making science accessible to a broad audience, LUMC promotes open, reliable, and socially relevant research.
…At LUMC, Open Science is not a standalone initiative but a way of working. By sharing knowledge, making research data more reusable, involving patients and citizens in research, and making science accessible to a broad audience, LUMC promotes open, reliable, and socially relevant research.
In this way, we contribute to new knowledge, better healthcare, and a stronger connection between science and society.