Oxford Brookes wants to provide the best possible atmosphere and ethos to allow all our researchers to produce high-quality outputs. Oxford Brookes embraces responsible Open Research and aims to follow the mantra of “Open as possible, closed as necessary”. Open Access for all research outputs is strongly encouraged, provided it is delivered in a responsible fashion. Oxford Brookes recognises and values the concept of academic autonomy and choice, and does not seek to adopt any position that may be perceived as a threat to academic freedom. The University supports Open Research practices which make both the outcomes and processes involved in carrying out research accessible to the international research community and society more widely.
Open Research at Brookes
For more information on Open Research, please contact: openaccess@brookes.ac.uk
What is Open Research?
The Open Knowledge Foundation defines openness this way: “Open data and content can be freely used, modified, and shared by anyone for any purpose.”
UKRI encourages funded researchers to make research data available, noting: “Publicly funded research data are a public good.”
Openness may be limited to comply with legal, ethical, disciplinary and commercial requirements, and to guard against inappropriate release of data
Brookes works on the paradigm of open as possible, closed as necessary
Why Should Research be Open?
Increasingly, this is a matter of compliance with funding policies: check with your funder where appropriate
Current guidance for REF 2028 is emphasising open research
Open research practices may benefit researchers and their institutions
Research study pre-registration helps to improve the evidence base
Data sharing and archiving supports third-party verification and generalisation of findings
- Open access helps reach the widest possible audience
How to Make Research Open
Start by making your research data FAIR: Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Re-usable.
Pre-register your research plans using an appropriate service
Use a preprint server or open journal submission system to share your outputs
Share your methods, code, and other materials
Join an Open Research community or project
Teach open and reproducible research methods
How to Protect Intellectual Property
The mechanisms of open licensing are built on top of traditional exclusive rights, most prominently through copyright law, but also through patents and trademarks
If you intend to share your work, the first step is to ensure that you have appropriate legal protections in place
Make it clear who owns the IP: refer to Oxford Brookes IP Policy
For more information or to discuss a specific IP question please contact the Knowledge Exchange and Impact team
Policies & Guidelines:
External resources:
- Registered Reports (Source: Centre for Open Science)
Concordats:
- Concordat for Engaging the Public with Research
- Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers
- Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA)
- Leiden Manifesto for Research Metrics
- UK Concordat for the Support of Research Integrity
Funder policies