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107th Helmholtz Open Science Newsletter

Issue of February 14, 2025

1. English Translation of the Memorandum on Open Access Transformation Published

In 2024, the Task Group “Open Access Transformation” of the Helmholtz Working Groups “Open Science” and “Library and Information Management” together with the Helmholtz Open Science Office, published a “Memorandum on the Open Access Transformation at the Helmholtz Association”; the English translation has now been published. The Memorandum sets up nine framework conditions, each with a core requirement for the open access transformation, that will serve as an orientation framework within the Helmholtz Association for the assessment of future transformative agreements. Key requirements include obligations for an actual transformation (journal flipping), options for opt-outs for institutions, fixed cost caps for article charges, more effective regulations to protect against data tracking in science, and strengthening scholar-led publication infrastructures. In addition, four next steps to promote the open access transformation at the Helmholtz Association are outlined, among them further measures for transparent information budgets and rethinking reputation mechanisms.

2. open-access.network – Reports on Workshops with Learned Societies and Smaller Scientific Institutions

The BMBF-funded project open-access.network has published two reports (in German) on events from the work packages “Offerings for small institutions and departmental research” and “Disciplinary offerings in cooperation with learned societies”. The reports describe the results and findings from the workshops with regard to the role of smaller scientific institutions and learned societies in the open access transformation in Germany. The Helmholtz Open Science Office is involved in both work packages as a project partner in open-access.network.

To the reports (in German):

Martin, L., & Schultze-Motel, P. (2024). Angebote für kleine Einrichtungen und Ressortforschung.open-access.network. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14513617

Martin, L., Rücknagel, J., & Schultze-Motel, P. (2024). Disziplinäre Angebote in Kooperation mit Fachgesellschaften. open-access.network. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14512205

3. Support for arXiv Through Institutional Membership

With the signing of the three-year agreement on institutional membership in the national consortium for arXiv, the Technische Informationsbibliothek (TIB) in Hannover and the Helmholtz Association are taking an important step towards a more sustainable and increased use of this international Open Access infrastructure. The collaboration with Cornell University as operator of arXiv builds on previous successes and helps to further promote the worldwide availability and visibility of scientific preprints. This partnership not only supports arXiv's mission, but also reinforces the principles of open access and free dissemination of knowledge. Further information on arXiv's mission and goals can be found in the Annual Report 2023.

4. Reproducibility and Open Science in the Helmholtz Association

Reproducibility is a key benchmark of scientific research: transparency, openness and careful methodology help to ensure that research results are verifiable and reliable. This topic plays an important role at the Helmholtz Association.

The recently published Guidelines for Research Data Integrity (GRDI) by Gregor Miller & Elmar Spiegel (Helmholtz Munich), for example, offer practical recommendations for ensuring data quality and integrity to improve the reproducibility of scientific studies.

The 4th Helmholtz Reproducibility Workshop on March 25, 2025 (09:00 am -15:00 pm) will be dedicated to the principles of reproducible science and their relevance for research practice. The event will be held in English and hybrid format and offers the following highlights: Keynotes on the topics - “Software reproducibility for data processing and machine learning workflows in the era of AI” by Dr. Altuna Akalin (Max Delbrück Center) and “Contextualization of reproducibility in the organization of academic work” by Dr. Frieder Paulus (Lübeck University), the workshop “From Methods to Results Reproducibility” by Dr. Ulf Toelch (BIH QUEST Centre for Responsible Research, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin) and the workshop “Image Prevalidation” by Deborah Schmidt (Helmholtz Imaging, Max Delbrück Center) as well as a roundtable on “Reproducibility in Research Assessment: Shaping transparent and measurable health research”.

In addition, the Helmholtz Open Science Office is once again a member of the Steering Group (SG) of the German Reproducibility Network (GRN). The GRN networks research institutions and initiatives in order to create sustainable structures for reproducible research. It was founded in 2021 with the intensive cooperation of the Helmholtz Association.

5. Launch of the PID Monitor

The DFG-funded PID Network Germany project has published the first version of the PID Monitor (version 0.9.0). The project has set itself the goal of making the use of persistent identifiers (PIDs) in Germany more visible. The PID Monitor provides valuable insights into the use and spread of PIDs. The application enables the continuous monitoring of different types of PIDs in publication, information and research infrastructures as well as the visualization of links between PIDs over time.

The user interface of the PID Monitor is designed to provide easy access to functions and information. The PID Monitor will be continuously expanded in terms of the user interface and the content represented as the project progresses. The aim is to integrate and clearly display available historical data on PID types and their entities or resource types. The monitor is currently available in German. An English version is planned. Feedback from the community is welcome.

6. PID4NFDI: Project Results from 2024 and Start of Second Funding Phase

PID4NFDI, the basic service for persistent identifiers (PIDs) for the National Research Data Infrastructure (NFDI), has completed the first funding phase (initialization phase) in the Base4NFDI’s service development model in 2024. In a blog article, PID4NFDI takes a look back at the activities and results of the first year in a blog article and gives a preview of the next phase in the years 2025 to 2026. The article provides an overview of the resources that PID4NFDI has developed to support the implementation of PIDs (including results of the PID Landscape Survey, training materials, use case analyses, as well as documents on technical implementation, metadata interoperability, governance, business models and licensing). An outlook describes the further expansion into a PID Coordination Hub for NFDI as well as other goals that are planned for the second funding phase (integration phase) that is now starting. The Helmholtz Open Science Office continues to be a project partner and is responsible for the areas of communication and community engagement as well as the development of NFDI-wide PID guidelines in coordination with the project PID Network Germany.

PID4NFDI now also keeps the community updated via social media on Mastodon (nfdi.social), Bluesky and LinkedIn.

7. New Information Service on Research Information: CRIS Map

A growing number of research institutions and higher education institutions are operating current research information systems (CRIS; German: FIS) for the collection, processing and presentation of various research information such as publications, research projects or research funding. The openness of research information and corresponding CRIS is also becoming increasingly relevant (for example, due to the Barcelona Declaration). The FIS-Landkarte (English: CRIS Map) is a new information service which provides an overview of the institutional CRIS already in use and planned in Germany, as well as data on these. The FIS-Landkarte provides interesting insights into the research information landscape in Germany, including geographical distributions and various aggregated statistics. The project is managed and provided by the Commission for Research Information in Germany (KFiD) in cooperation with the Research Information and Systems Working Group of the German Initiative for Network Information (DINI-AG FIS). Institutions that operate or plan to operate an institutional CRIS can register it for inclusion in the FIS-Landkarte.

8. COAR Releases New Version for Controlled Vocabulary for Repositories

The Confederation of Open Access Repositories (COAR) has published a new version of the Resource Vocabulary for Repositories to improve the discoverability of resources in open access repositories. The vocabulary defines concepts for identifying different types of resources, including publications, research data and multimedia objects.

The vocabulary is structured hierarchically and combines broader and narrower terms to make navigation easier for users. With multilingual terms that take regional language differences into account, the vocabulary promotes accessibility for different target groups. In addition, linking to similar vocabularies ensures interoperability and facilitates communication and data exchange between repositories.

By adopting the COAR vocabulary for resource types, open access repositories can improve usability and ensure that valuable research results are easily accessible to all.

Save the Dates

Recommended Reading

Arranz, D., Ferguson, L. M., Frisch, K., Genderjahn, S., Lochte, K., Schmuker, M., Schworm, S. K., & Willem, T. (2025). Research Ethics in the age of AI: Embracing Openness as a Path Forward(02.01.2025. Version. 1.0 ). Helmholtz Open Science Office. https://doi.org/10.48440/OS.HELMHOLTZ.080  

Bracco, L., Jeangirard, E., L’Hôte, A., & Romary, L. (2025). How to build an Open Science Monitor based on publications? A French perspective. arXiv. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2501.02856

Constantin, M., Leeuwe, J. de, Rijn, S. van, Saive, M., Tarchi, A., & Vries, H. de. (2025). How to flip your journal. A guide to more equitable publishing with Diamond OA.https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14652446

Ferguson, L. M., Pampel, H., Strecker, D., & Meistring, M. (2025). Transparenz in der Wissenschaft: Strategien für offene Informationsversorgung. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14505423

Garcia, I. K., Erdmann, C., Gesing, S., Barton, M., Cadwallader, L., Hengeveld, G., Kirkpatrick, C. R., Knight, K., Lemmen, C., Ringuette, R., Zhan, Q., Harrison, M., Gabhann, F. M., Meyers, N., Osborne, C., Till, C., Brenner, P., Buys, M., Chen, M., … Rao, Y. (2025). Ten simple rules for good model-sharing practices. PLOS Computational Biology, 21(1), e1012702. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1012702

Manghi, P. (2024). Challenges in building scholarly knowledge graphs for research assessment in open science. Quantitative Science Studies, 5(4), 991–1021. https://doi.org/10.1162/qss_a_00322

Mittermaier, B. (2024). Datenschutz und Datentracking in Verlagsverträgen. o-bib – das offene Bibliotheksjournal, 11(4), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.5282/o-bib/6087

Pampel, H., & Mittermaier, B. (2024). 5.1 Open Access und Zeitschriften. In J. Johannsen, B. Mittermaier, H. Schäffler, & K. Söllner (Eds.), Praxishandbuch Bibliotheksmanagement (pp. 315–332). De Gruyter Saur. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783111046341-020

Scorza, L. C. T., Zieliński, T., Kalita, I., Lepore, A., El Karoui, M., & Millar, A. J. (2024). Daily life in the Open Biologist’s second job, as a Data Curator. Wellcome Open Research, 9, 523. https://doi.org/10.12688/wellcomeopenres.22899.2

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