[CODATA-international] Open Science for a Global Transformation: Call for Papers for a Special Collection in Data Science Journal

Asha CODATA asha at codata.org
Wed Oct 28 10:50:57 EDT 2020


2021 is likely to be a very significant year for the transformation of
science and the adoption of Open Science and FAIR practices.  UNESCO, the
educational, scientific and cultural organization of the United Nations, is
preparing a Recommendation on Open Science to be adopted (it is hoped) by
the UNESCO General Assembly in November 2021.  Against the background of
the COVID-19 pandemic—which has accentuated the need for international
research cooperation, scientific transparency and data sharing for robust
evidence and informed decisionmaking—UNESCO has conducted a global
consultation and drafting process for the Recommendation on Open Science
<https://en.unesco.org/science-sustainable-future/open-science>.

In June 2020, CODATA coordinated and published ‘Open Science for a Global
Transformation’ <https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3935461>, a response to the
UNESCO consultation from a number of partner international data
organisations. The first draft of the UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science
<https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000374409> was released for
feedback from member states and the scientific community in early October
2020.

To encourage further discussion around the issues addressed in ‘Open
Science for a Global Transformation’ and the draft Recommendation on Open
Science, we invite the global research data community to share their views,
critiques and positions in an open discussion prompted by the draft
recommendation and the CODATA-coordinated document.  Our intention is to
create a forum for debate and ultimately a body of reasoned argumentation
which can be referenced throughout the UNESCO process.  In the Data Science
Journal, this will also form a significant body of scholarly material
exploring and defining issues around Open Science.

*Three venues are envisaged for this discussion:*

   - *A Special Collection in the CODATA Data Science
   Journal https://datascience.codata.org/ <https://datascience.codata.org/> *

We invite scholarly essays, review articles, practice papers and research
articles that discuss issues around Open Science and relate their
argumentation to topics addressed in ‘Open Science for a Global
Transformation’ <https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3935461> and in the draft
UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science
<https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000374409>.  Please consult the
scope of the Data Science Journal <https://datascience.codata.org/about/> and
the descriptions of the categories of article.  All submissions should be
scholarly and will be peer reviewed.  While ensuring quality and rigour,
the editorial team will do its best to expedite publication.  The
collection will serve as a scholarly contribution to the global debate on
the content of the UNESCO Recommendation and on the contours and
characteristics of Open Science in general.  We will aim to ensure that any
articles submitted by 15 December, will be published in time to be
referenced during the timescales of the UNESCO review process (see below).
Accepted articles submitted after that date will be included in the
collection on Open Science and will still be relevant to the ongoing
discussion and debate around the Recommendation.  Submit contributions to
the Special Collection at https://datascience.codata.org/about/submissions/

   - *A Curated Collection of Posts and Opinion Pieces in the CODATA
   Blog http://codata.org/blog/ <http://codata.org/blog/> *

If you would like to contribute to this discussion through something more
like a blog post, and opinion piece, or if you would like to test your
ideas before submitting an more scholarly contribution to the Data Science
Journal, then you can do this through a curated collection on the CODATA
blog.  To do so, please send your piece to asha at codata.org.  The proposed
blog posted will be checked by the CODATA secretariat and a member of the
author group and then published.

   - *Threads on the CODATA International List*

Finally, we also encourage the community to share ideas and discussion of
the draft Recommendation through the CODATA International news and
discussion list.  Simply subscribe to the list
<http://lists.codata.org/mailman/listinfo/codata-international_lists.codata.org>
and
send your ideas and views to codata-international at lists.codata.org.  Be
sure to start the title of your message with ‘UNESCO Open Science
Recommendation’.

*We welcome any and all contributions to these forums!*

*The UNESCO Consultation and Recommendation on Open Science*

The practices of Open Science and calls for transformations of the way
science is practiced, communicated and assessed have accelerated in the
past two decades.  Leading transnational organisations including the
International
Council for Science <https://council.science/actionplan/open-science/>, OECD
<http://www.oecd.org/coronavirus/policy-responses/why-open-science-is-critical-to-combatting-covid-19-cd6ab2f9/>
 and European Commission
<https://ec.europa.eu/research/openscience/index.cfm>, have recognised Open
Science as the key mode for research in the 21st century.  Recognising the
significance of the movement, but also aware that in a ‘fragmented
scientific and policy environment, a global understanding of the meaning,
opportunities and challenges of Open Science is still missing’, UNESCO
launched a global consultation in March 2020
<https://en.unesco.org/science-sustainable-future/open-science>.  This has
as its objective ‘to build a coherent vision of Open Science and a shared
set of overarching principles and shared values’ through the development of
‘an international standard-setting instrument on Open Science in the form
of a UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science’ to be agreed at the UNESCO
General Assembly in November 2021.

This is a precious opportunity for the worldwide research community to
express priorities, report relevant experiences, and share visions for the
future, thus helping to shape a new global order for research and its
governance. A UNESCO Recommendation is a timely, important and urgent way
to promote Open Science and provide concrete suggestions to national
governments and research organisations, including scholarly societies,
universities, and research groups.

*Consultation on the Draft UNESCO Recommendation*

<http://codata.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/unesco-image-blog.png>The
first draft of the UNESCO Recommendation was produced, on the basis of the
consultation and supported by the UNESCO Open Science team, by an international
Open Science Advisory Committee
<https://en.unesco.org/science-sustainable-future/open-science/advisory-committee>,
and was published for consultation in early October 2020
<https://en.unesco.org/news/milestone-unescos-development-global-recommendation-open-science?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+OATP-Primary+%28OATP+primary%29>.
Feedback on the draft Recommendation is invited from UNESCO Member States
and from the global research community until the end of January 2021.
After that point, the Advisory Committee will resume its work to produce a
second draft.  The revised draft, approved by the UNESCO Director General
will be sent to Member States in April 2021.  This will be followed by a
process of negotiation culminating, it is hoped, in the adoption of the
text at the General Conference in November 2021.

The draft Recommendation offers a definition of Open Science and it
presents a set of core values and principles.  Importantly, it lays out
seven key areas of action, directed at Member States and other named
stakeholders:

   1. *Promoting a common understanding of Open Science and diverse paths
   to Open Science*
   2. *Developing an enabling policy environment for Open Science *
   3. *Investing in Open Science infrastructures*
   4. *Investing in capacity building for Open Science*
   5. *Transforming scientific culture and aligning incentives for Open
   Science*
   6. *Promoting innovative approaches for Open Science at different stages
   of the scientific process  *
   7. *Promoting international cooperation on Open Science*

Like any such document, the draft Recommendation tries to synthesise and
reconcile a range of views and positions (not necessarily opposed or
divergent, but with different emphases, concerns and priorities).
Therefore, discussion and critique of the ‘Open Science for a Global
Transformation’ document and the draft Recommendation are to be expected
and encouraged.  It is precisely through such scrutiny that we can ensure
that this global statement on Open Science is as robust as possible.

We invite the global research data community, such as the readership
of the Data
Science Journal <https://datascience.codata.org/> and those engaged with
the Data Together organisations
<https://codata.org/data-together-covid-19-appeal-and-actions/> and other
data and information organisations, to seize this opportunity and to use
these venues described above to share scholarly discussion, opinion pieces,
critiques and proposals in relation to the UNESCO process and
Recommendation.  This will *both* provide a resource which can be fed into
the direct process of consultation and feedback, *and* offer a
longer-lasting collection of public and reasoned views and debate on the
age-defining issue of Open Science.

We are particularly interested in articles documenting regional dimensions,
exploring neglected issues, critiques and arguments to improve the
Recommendation, and discussions of issues to address in order to ensure
positive and equitable outcomes from Open Science implementation. There
will also be opportunities for further discussion at the International
(Virtual) FAIR Convergence Symposium in December 2020
<https://codata.org/events/conferences/international-fair-convergence-symposium-convened-by-codata-and-go-fair-22-23-october-2020-paris-france/>
and
other events such as the Virtual RDA Plenary meeting in November 2020.

Thanks,
Asha

-- 

___________________________

*ONE WEEK TO GO! Deadline for Posters and Lightning Talks is 31Oct: *Register
for International Virtual FAIR Convergence Symposium 2020, 27 Nov-4 Dec
<https://www.eventbrite.com/e/international-fair-convergence-symposium-registration-105931185026>
 | Call for posters and lightning talks
<https://conference.codata.org/FAIRconvergence2020/>

*Register for CODATA Connect Webinar:* Shoaib Sufi, Software Sustainability
Institute on 'Better Software, Better Data Handling’, Friday 20 November,
15:00-16:00 UTC
<https://codata.org/register-now-webinar-on-better-software-better-data-handling/>

*UN Data Forum Session 'Multi-Stakeholder Data Bridges - making data work
for cross-domain grand challenges’:* Pre-Recorded Session
<https://vimeo.com/465263347> in UN Data Forum Attendify
<https://ve.attendify.com/index/e19y30/s_e19y30/schedule/9yx2dgHJCUx0XFsM09/9yx6rE0JWGcUiEIChV>
 | Recording of Live Discussion Session <https://vimeo.com/469702557>

*Units of Measure for Humans and Machines: *Position Paper and Manifesto
of the DRUM (Digital Representation of Units of Measure) Task
Group https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4081656
<https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4081656> and First Briefing Meeting
<https://codata.org/initiatives/task-groups/drum/first-briefing-for-the-drum-ambassadors/>

*August 2020 publications*
<https://codata.org/august-2020-publications-in-the-data-science-journal/> in
the CODATA Data Science Journal <https://datascience.codata.org/>

*Stay in touch with CODATA:*

Stay up to date with CODATA activities: join the CODATA International News
list
<http://lists.codata.org/mailman/listinfo/codata-international_lists.codata.org>

Looking for training and career opportunities in data science and data
stewardship?  Sign up to the CODATA early career community-run data
science training and careers list
<http://lists.codata.org/mailman/listinfo/data_science_training_lists.codata.org>

Follow us on social media! Twitter <https://twitter.com/CODATANews> -
Facebook <https://www.facebook.com/codata.org/> - LinkedIn
<https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-hodson-b3711a11/> - Instagram
<https://www.instagram.com/codatainternational/>
___________________________

Asha Law | Program Assistant, CODATA | http://www.codata.org

E-Mail: asha at codata.org
Tel (Office): +33 1 45 25 04 96

CODATA (Committee on Data of the International Council for Science), 5 rue
Auguste Vacquerie, 75016 Paris, FRANCE
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.codata.org/pipermail/codata-international_lists.codata.org/attachments/20201028/0abc3379/attachment.html>


More information about the CODATA-international mailing list