SA-EU Open Science Dialogue Report

The nature of science is changing from a closed system to an open and sharing one. It affects virtually all components of doing science and research, and shifts in particular the focus from ‘publishing as fast as possible’ to ‘sharing knowledge as early as possible’.

Open science is good for: (i) science itself: it improves efficiency and the verifiability of science, it brings transparency, and it allows inter-disciplinarity; (ii) the economy: with wider access to, and increased re-use of scientific in- formation by all, and in particular, by industry and innovative companies; and (iii) society: it brings broader, faster, transparent and equal access for citizens, and contributes to increased societal impact of science and research.

The raison d’être for developing an Open Science Framework for South Africa is the recognition by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) that Open Science is a game changer for South Africa insofar as it seeks to create an ecosystem in which scientific re- search is more cumulative, better supported by data, more transparent with faster and more universal access to results, and under- pinned by a greater focus on scientific integrity and the public’s trust in science.

The report was produced with the SA-EU Dialogue Facility, by the Expert Task Group on the basis of a series of workshops with South African stakeholders.