What is open science? How can we promote and practice openness and a culture of sharing in research and scholarship? Which methods can we use to demonstrate more openness in academic and scientific practice? The Open Science Festival (OSF) offers the opportunity to seek answers to these and other questions, to network and to learn from each other. The first German OSF was held in 2022 in Hannover, the second edition took place in Cologne. This year, the Rine-Main Universities (RMU) succeeded in bringing the OSF to Mainz and will host the event on the campus of Johannes Gutenberg University. Under the motto “Meet, Share, Inspire, Care”, the festival offers participants the chance to network and discuss current topics. It is aimed at students, scientists and employees at universities and research institutes, and is for newcomers, interested parties and experts alike. The Open Science Festival in the Netherlands serves as a role model for the event.

“We are delighted that the Open Science Festival 2024 is hosted by the RMU alliance and held on the Gutenberg Campus. Open science in all its facets is a vastly important topic with great significance for the future, which concerns all of us and plays a significant role for early career researchers, students and science support”, emphasizes Prof. Dr. Stefan Müller-Stach, Vice President for Research and Early Career Academics at Johannes Gutenberg University. “At the Open Science Festival in Mainz, we can expect interesting content and discussions, and we are greatly looking forward to the upcoming exchange!”

The festival’s focus is on joint interaction and networking, as well as on further expanding the diverse facets of open science-related topics – ranging from their implementation in the academic context to bringing the topics closer to the public. With a broad range of formats, the Open Science Festival is sure to offer a varied and interesting program. While the OSF will be held in English, some workshops will also be offered in German in order to make the event accessible to a broader range of participants.

One of the highlights of the Open Science Festival will be the keynote which will address climate change in connection with open science practices. Furthermore, panel discussions will be held on both days of the festival, with experts discussing the topics “Transparency & Intelligence? Advancing Artificial Intelligence with Open Science” and “Data and knowledge: Public goods or commercial assets?”.

In addition to introductory workshops, more advanced workshops are also offered for assorted topics on both days of the festival, in which specific issues are explored in more detail. For example, participants can choose among courses on open-source software, the connection between open science and Mastodon, research into open cultural heritage through citizen science, research data management and aspects of science communication. These workshops enable participants to further deepen their understanding in specific fields and gain valuable insights for their own scientific practice. With the new speed dating format, participants can quickly establish new, valuable contacts, extend their existing network and easily integrate open science newcomers into the open science community. The German Open Science Festival serves as an important meeting point for scientists from different fields to come together and jointly work on an open and fair scientific culture.

Members from all three Rhine-Main Universities jointly developed the varied program for the OSF. Project manager Marieke Koliopoulos of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz emphasizes: “As a project manager for the third German Open Science Festival, it is a great pleasure to participate in the creation of a platform for scientists from various fields to come together to exchange ideas, share best practices and jointly promote the principles of openness and transparency in science.“

Sounds interesting? Then don’t hesitate to register at www.opensciencefestival.de for the Open Science Festival on the campus of Johannes Gutenberg University.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact Marieke Koliopoulos at osf@uni-mainz.de.