Open Science at Helmholtz

Digitization opens up the opportunity for science to change the way it handles data, information, and knowledge.

At Helmholtz, the term open science, outlining a cultural change in scientific working methods and communication, is defined as follows:

"The open – meaning impeded by as little financial, technical, and legal obstacles as possible – access to scientific results such as publications, research data, and research software expands transparency in academia, improves quality assurance procedures, and through improved supply of information increases the productivity of academia. Open science thus always also serves the improvement of good scientific practice. Furthermore, open science fosters knowledge transfer into society, economy, and politics."

Our Mission

The mission of the Helmholtz Open Science Office is to promote the cultural change towards open science. The office, established by the Helmholtz Association in 2005, sees itself as a service provider that supports the community in shaping the cultural change towards open science. The Helmholtz Open Science Office is a partner of all stakeholders involved in this process within Helmholtz.

Guided by the motto "Enabling open science practices at Helmholtz!" the Helmholtz Open Science Office works within the Association and promotes the visibility of Helmholtz on a national as well as international level within the context of Open Science in the spirit of the Helmholtz mission.

In order to promote Open Science at the Helmholtz Centers, the Helmholtz Open Science Office fosters the exchange with stakeholders in science, administration, and service institutions, such as libraries, data, and computing centers. Regular workshops, lectures, discussions, and publications provide information on the opportunities and challenges of open science.

Enabling open science practices at Helmholtz!

Download the Helmholtz Open Science Policy

German Version
English Version