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The National Open Research Forum (NORF) is working to articulate a national coordinated agenda for Open Science in Ireland and to ensure Ireland’s approach is in line with EU good practice.
NORF is co-chaired by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) and the Health Research Board (HRB) with secretariat from the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (DFHERIS). It is coordinated by the National Open Research Coordinator, based at the Digital Repository of Ireland (DRI).
The National Action Plan for Open Research was launched in 2022 which outlines the objectives and actions for the next chapter in Ireland’s transition towards open research.
The National Action Plan for Open Research serves as a roadmap for the implementation of open research across Ireland and is structured according to three broad themes:
- Establishing a culture of open research
- Achieving 100% open access to research publications
- Enabling FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) research data and other outputs
In 2023, DFHERIS announced funding of €1.9 million to support the uptake and implementation of the National Action Plan for Open Research. This funding was provided through the Higher Education Authority. Following this, NORF launched the 2023 Open Research Fund call.
Every year, NORF hosts Ireland’s National Open Research Festival. NORFest provides a forum for the research community to present and discuss work related to Ireland’s transition towards open research. The Festival aims to bring together a broad range of stakeholders to communicate the value and diversity of open research practices, to exchange ideas and experiences, and to identify and explore synergies.
Another strong promoter of Open Research in Ireland is the Health Research Board. The HRB Open Research is a platform for HRB-funded researchers to rapidly publish their research outputs in an open and accessible way. All articles benefit from immediate publication, transparent refereeing and the inclusion of all source data.