Open Research Software

Open research software is central to transparent and reproducible science: only when both research data and program code are freely accessible can results be verified, reproduced, and reused.

Research Software at Helmholtz

Open research software promotes sustainable scientific collaboration and innovation. For many years, the Helmholtz Centers have been running comprehensive initiatives on the topic of research software. These are driven by the work of the Helmholtz Open Science Office, the Working Group Open Science, and other stakeholders such as the Helmholtz Information & Data Science Platforms, in particular Helmholtz Federated IT Services (HIFIS), and the Joint Lab HIRSE of the research field of Information.

Publications and Events

In 2017, a Position Paper and Recommendations for the implementation of guidelines for the use of scientific software at the Helmholtz Centers were published. This culminated in 2019 in a Model Policy for the sustainable use of research software at the Helmholtz Centers. This was followed in 2020 by a Checklist to support the Helmholtz Centers in implementing the guidelines. The Helmholtz Open Science Policy has been in effect since 2022, supplementing the previous documents and deepening and strengthening the commitment to open research software.

Since 2021, the Helmholtz Open Science Office, in collaboration with the Open Science Working Group, has been offering regular Forum Events on the topic of Research Software. These events highlight current developments, present best practices, and promote the exchange on sustainable software development, quality assurance, and openness in research; they are aimed at researchers, software developers, and infrastructure stakeholders.