Funding of €1.9 million to support Ireland’s National Action Plan for Open Research announced by Minister Harris

07 March 2023

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris has today announced funding of €1.9 million to advance Ireland’s National Action Plan for Open Research.

Open research offers the public free access to research findings and encourages collaboration and sharing of information for the benefit of science and society.

This funding will be used to do a number of things including increasing public engagement with research and citizen science, establishing a culture of open research and working towards 100% open access to research publications.

Speaking today, Minister Harris said:

“The international movement towards greater openness and transparency in research sets new expectations for research to be open, collaborative and shared for the benefit of science and society.

“This funding announced today will support the implementation of Ireland’s National Action Plan for Open Research and its ongoing work to further embed open research practices across the research system.

“The value of open research was clearly illustrated during the COVID-19 pandemic, when sharing research and evidence greatly accelerated understanding of the virus, and how to fight it, to the benefit of all.”

Ireland’s National Action Plan for Open Research 2022-2030 and the associated funding strengthens Ireland’s commitment to open research, including our contribution to the European Research Area Policy Agenda and its priority action to enable the open sharing of knowledge and the re-use of research outputs.

The funding of €1.9 million will be delivered through the Higher Education Authority (HEA).

Source: Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science