Maximising the Impact of the UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science in Australia

The UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science is built on 30 years of the gradual democratisation of science - ‘The question is no longer whether Open Science is happening, but rather how everyone can contribute and benefit from the transition.’

Opening up access to data, publications, and other research products is necessary but not sufficient to transition science fully towards Open Science. Citizen science is an essential part of fully realising Open Science. The citizen science movement globally now has the knowledge and experience to be able to offer that crucial expertise to bringing civil society into the scientific process in a productive way.

However, while mainstream science is already embedded in policy and funding development, citizen science has not yet been included in high level strategic discussions about science directions and resourcing.

Once the Recommendation is adopted in November, countries are committed to a series of actions which require new policy and funding frameworks. To respond fully to the UNESCO Recommendation, it is necessary for a range of societal actors including citizen science to ‘have a seat at the table’ when policy and funding for Open Science is discussed.

This workshop is to explore how we might achieve that ‘seat at the table’ and indeed who needs to be part of this conversation.