Open Science in Slovakia
Open Science
There is no signle definition of open science. UNESCO defines it as a set of principles and practices that aim to make scientific research from all fields accessible to everyone for the benefits of scientists and society as a whole (UNESCO).
In a nutshell, Open Science is transparent and accessible knowledge that is shared and developed through collaborative networks (Vicente-Sáez&Martínez-Fuentes 2018).
More information and resources on opens science in English at:
Open Science in Slovakia
Contact Office for Open Access
The Contact Office for Open Access was established at the Slovak Centre of Scientific and Technical Information (SCSTI) in 2016. The office plays a vital role as a national coordinator and methodological body for open science in Slovakia. One of the office’s activities is raising awareness about open science and open access to research results and outcomes. The office also organizes training activities for librarians and researchers at universities and research institutions, supports citizen sciences activities. It also fulfils the tasks arising from international projects in which the SCSTI participates.
Slovak Centre of Scientific and Technical Information (SCSTI)
SCSTI represents Slovakia in different international and academic organisations and associations that promote open science methods and open access to research results and outcomes (e.g., LIBER, IATUL, OpenAIRE).
It is the National Open Access Desk (NOAD)–a national contact office for open access in OpenAIRE, the National Reference Point for the European Commission and a member of the EOSC association (European Open Science Cloud).
National Strategy for Open Science 2021–2028
In 2021, the Slovak government approved the National Strategy for Open Science for 2021-2028. Its aim is to make the primary outputs of publicly funded research, publications, and data available to the public in a digital format with no or minimal restrictions, using public licenses. The National Strategy will be carried out through action plans–these documents define the necessary tasks and set the basic direction for developing Slovak science in this area. The National Strategy is available aslo in English. The latest action plan is for 2026–2028.
Working Group for Open Science
The promotion of open science in Slovakia and the implementation of the National Strategy and the Action Plan are managed by the Working Group for Open Science, whose members are the representatives of the CSTI SR and the scientific and academic community in Slovakia.
Slovak Open Science Forum
The annual conference brings the latest information in different areas of open science, including open access to research data, research data management, research assessment and citizen science.
The conference is intended for the scientific and academic community, academic libraries, as well as students and the public.
The conference is held in English, and the presenters are mostly international experts in the field of open science.
Research Ethics and Integrity
An integral part of the open science movement is an effort to transform science assessment.
Declaration on Fostering the Culture of Scientific Integrity in Slovakia
In 2021, a national document, the Declaration on Fostering the Culture of Scientific Integrity in Slovakia, was published. The Declaration was signed by thirty signatories. The document was created by the professional community in cooperation with the Centre for Scientific and Technical Information of the Slovak Republic.
Code of Conduct for Research Integrity and Ethics in Slovakia
In 2024, the Slovak government approved the Code of Research Integrity and Ethics in Slovakia, which was prepared by more than 15 experts from the research and academic communities in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Research, Development, and Youth of the Slovak Republic. The activity was coordinated by CVTI SR.
More on research ethics at era.portal.sk.