German Reproducibility Network (GRN)
The German Reproducibility Network promotes trustworthiness and transparency in scientific research.
Foundation
On February 1, 2021, eight key Open Science actors in Germany founded the German Reproducibility Network. The Helmholtz Association is a key actor of this cross-disciplinary consortium, which promotes reproducible and robust research on a national level. Both the Helmholtz AI and the Helmholtz Open Science Office are founding members.
Today, it seems more important than ever that research results are trustworthy and based on robust research. This includes transparency and openness to enable the reproducibility of research results as a key quality indicator in research, which is also in line with established principles of good scientific practice. With this background, the German Reproducibility Network (GRN) was founded in February 2021.
This peer-led cross-disciplinary consortium in Germany aims to increase trustworthiness and transparency of scientific research. Therefore, the network focuses on the following activities:
- Support researchers in educating themselves about open science practices, and founding local open science communities.
- Connecting local or topic-centered Reproducibility Initiatives to a national network, and foster connections between them.
- Advise institutions on how to embed open science practices in their work.
- Represent the open science community toward other stakeholders in the wider scientific landscape.
The GRN is embedded in a growing network of similar initiatives in the UK, Switzerland, Australia, and Slovakia. It is open for further members and offers various ways to participate.
The founding members are the following eight Open Science actors in Germany:
- Berlin University Alliance
- QUEST Center of the Berlin Institute of Health at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin
- German Psychological Society (DGPs)
- Helmholtz AI
- Helmholtz Open Science Office
- LMU Open Science Center
- NOSI (Network of Open Science Initiatives)
- ZBW – Leibniz Information Centre for Economics
Helmholtz AI
The Helmholtz AI (Helmholtz Artificial Cooperation Intelligence Unit) is one of five platforms initiated by the Helmholtz Incubator Information and Data Science of Helmholtz Association. Heidi Seibold, Helmholtz AI team leader and representative at the GRN, says: “I think that as data scientists we are experts on the issues of the reproducibility crisis and can contribute to solving them. I am very happy that my colleagues at Helmholtz AI feel the same way and that we are taking the responsibility that comes with expertise seriously. The German Reproducibility Network is going to impact the research community and we are excited to be part of it!”
Helmholtz Open Science Office
The Helmholtz Open Science Office, which was 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 Office is a partner of all stakeholders involved in this process within Helmholtz. It promotes dialogue on the topic, provides impulses to the community and represents Helmholtz positions on Open Science at national and international level.
The Helmholtz Open Science Office cooperates closely with the Helmholtz Open Science working group, Bernadette Fritzsch (member of the WK Open Science, AWI) acts accordingly to this as representative in the GRN: “The long-standing commitment to research software in the Helmholtz Open Science environment fits perfectly into the GRN. Fostering the reproducibility of research results together with our partners will forward the discussion on this topic enormously.”
