The Ministry of Science, Technological Development and Innovation of Serbia has officially adopted the Open Science Platform 2.0, a comprehensive update to the country’s national open science policy. This new policy significantly broadens the scope of open science efforts, making open access (OA) mandatory for all publicly funded research projects and programs in Serbia.
The adoption of Open Science Platform 2.0 marks a major milestone for Serbia’s scientific community, building on the country’s first open science policy, which was introduced in 2018. The updated policy emphasizes a commitment to making research more transparent, accessible, and reproducible, reinforcing Serbia’s dedication to advancing the principles of open science.
One of the most significant changes in the updated policy is the requirement for universities and research institutes to revise their institutional open science policies to align with the national framework within six months. This move ensures that Serbia’s academic and research institutions are working cohesively toward the overarching goals of open access, transparency, and collaboration.
EIFL (Electronic Information for Libraries), a global network supporting open access initiatives, has welcomed the adoption of this enhanced policy, recognizing the country’s forward-thinking approach to science and research. EIFL applauds the comprehensive nature of the policy, which sets clear guidelines for the management of research outputs, data, and software, and fosters a culture of openness in research and scholarly communication.
The Open Science Platform 2.0 is built around five key objectives: Open access to scholarly publications; Availability and management of research data; Open and transparent access to research infrastructures; Transparency in scholarly communication and research methodologies, including access to software source code and design documentation; and Development of digital infrastructure and competencies to support open science goals.
Key elements of the policy include:
• Mandatory Open Access to Publications: All publicly funded publications, including journal articles, monographs, conference papers, and PhD theses, must be made openly accessible upon publication. Embargo periods will be permitted for certain disciplines, ranging from three months for natural and medical sciences to six months for social sciences and humanities.
• Intellectual Property Rights: Authors are encouraged to retain intellectual property rights that enable them to deposit their work in open repositories, ensuring wider access and greater dissemination of research.
• Support for Diamond Open Access: The policy strongly supports the Diamond Open Access model, where neither authors nor readers pay publication fees. Serbia’s Ministry of Science will provide subsidies exclusively to Diamond OA journals, promoting more equitable and sustainable publishing practices.
• Data Management in Line with FAIR Principles: Research data from publicly funded projects must be managed according to the FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) principles and stored in FAIR-compliant repositories. Mandatory data management plans will be required for all publicly funded research.
• Open Access to Research Data and Software: The policy mandates OA to data underlying publications, except where legal, ethical, or contractual constraints exist. Additionally, software source code and research hardware design documentation funded by public sources must be openly accessible under open licenses.
• Incentives and Training: Institutions are encouraged to introduce rewards and incentives for open science practices, while also promoting the development of OS skills through academic programs and professional training.
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