Skip to main content

Strategic Objective 3

Enabling open research practices 

Expressed in our Open Research Statement, open research practices strive for collaborative working, sharing, and openness throughout the entire research cycle to enable transparency, reproducibility and the reduction of inequalities whilst maximising the reach of our research. We will ensure that our communities are fully supported, in ways appropriate for their discipline, to work openly and with the highest standards of integrity.

Read more about our strategic objectives and projects in our Research Culture Strategy.

Project 3.1:  We will create an institutional network of DoRIs to champion open research and direct colleagues to support.

Aims:

  • To create a network of open research champions at University of Leeds to act as conduits of information and advice on the training, support and opportunities available for open research practices.
  • To determine and better understand the discipline-specific barriers to recording and depositing research outputs.

Outputs:

  • Expansion of DoRI role description to cover open research.
  • University-wide network of open research champions.

Outcomes:

  • More effective and bespoke advocacy for discipline-specific open research practices.
  • Increased researcher awareness of OR practices, benefits, and sources of support.
  • Better recognition of diverse research activities.
  • Stronger submission in REF2028.
  • Increased understanding of discipline specific barriers to OR.

Success Measures:

  • Development of open research champion network.
  • Open Research Coordinator recruited to support the champions.
  • Appropriate discipline specific advocacy in schools.
  • Increased number of researchers engaging in open research.
  • Increased variety of research outputs deposited in Symplectic.

Led by the Head of Library Research Services (Open Research).

 

Project 3.2:  We will run an annual audit of Symplectic and UoL repository data to analyse and track the breadth of research activities recorded and deposited by staff type.

Aims:

  • To gauge the variety of research outputs recorded in University systems (e.g., Symplectic) and deposited in repositories (e.g., White Rose).

Outputs:

  • Openly available database of University of Leeds research outputs recorded in UoL systems and deposited in repositories by all staff.

Outcomes:

  • Increased researcher awareness of the range of research outputs that can be recorded and deposited.
  • Increased number and variety of research outputs recorded and deposited.

Success Measures:

  • Increased number of research outputs recorded and deposited annually.
  • Increased variety of research outputs recorded and deposited annually.

Led by the Head of Library Research Services (Open Research).

 

Project 3.3:  We will use pulse surveys to analyse and track awareness of the types of research outputs that can be recorded and deposited in University systems, and the perceived barriers by discipline.

Aims:

  • To gauge researchers' awareness of the variety of research outputs that are recorded in University systems (e.g., Symplectic) and deposited in repositories (e.g., White Rose).
  • To increase researchers' awareness of the range of research activities that can be recorded and deposited.
  • To identify interventions for overcoming barriers to recording and depositing.

Outputs:

  • Report on researchers' perceptions of suitable research outputs for recording and depositing, and approaches to addressing gaps in understanding.

Outcomes:

  • Increased researcher awareness of the range of research outputs that can be recorded and deposited.
  • Increased number and variety of research outputs that are recorded and deposited.

Success Measures:

  • Increase in the number of staff and variety of research outputs recorded and deposited across disciplines.

Led by the Head of Library Research Services (Open Research).

 

Project 3.4:  We will develop the Open Research Hub, a central location signposting researchers to all local support for open research (e.g., Research IT; Public Engagement; RIS; Library).

Aims:

  • To further develop a central information and resource hub to provide open research training and support for researchers using a range of methodologies across disciplines.
  • To develop researchers' awareness and use of OR support resources.

Outputs:

  • Rich and accessible central resource to signpost researchers to all support available at University of Leeds for open research.

Outcomes:

  • Increased researcher awareness of sources of support for open research.

Success Measures:

  • Increased awareness and engagement with the OR Hub.
  • Research leaders advocating for its use.

Led by the Head of Library Research Services (Open Research).

 

Project 3.5:  We will promote the Open Research Hub as a resource supporting the recording and depositing of the full range of research activities.

Aims:

  • To use the Open Research hub to provide open research training and support for researchers to record and deposit more of their research activities.
  • To increase the number and variety of outputs recorded and deposited by researchers.

Outputs:

  • Rich and accessible central resource to signpost researchers to support available for recording and depositing research activities.
  • Report tracking the number and types of activities recorded and deposited.

Outcomes:

  • Increased researcher awareness of what aspects of their research they can/should record and deposit, how to do this, and where to go for support.
  • Increased confidence in making a wider range of research activities open.

Success Measures:

  • Increased awareness and engagement with the Open Research Hub for depositing and recording.
  • Wider range of University of Leeds research is openly recorded and deposited.
  • Increased reach of University of Leeds research.

Led by the Head of Library Research Services (Open Research).

 

Progress

Coming soon.....