18 July 2024
The third edition of the German Open Science Festival will take place on September 17th and 18th at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU). The festival offers participants the chance to discover and experience the diversity and significance of open science in all its facets.
What is open science? How can we promote and practice openness and a culture of sharing in research and scholarship? Which methods can we use to demonstrate more openness in academic and scientific practice? The Open Science Festival (OSF) offers the opportunity to find answers to these and other questions, to network, and to learn from each other.
Dutch concept, German premiere in Hannover in 2022
The first German Open Science Festival was held in 2022 in Hannover, the second edition took place in Cologne. This year, the Rhine-Main Universities (RMU) will bring the OSF to Mainz, where the event will be hosted on the campus of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz. Under the motto "Meet, Share, Inspire, Care", the festival offers participants the chance to network and discuss current topics. The OSF is aimed at students, scientists, and employees at universities and research institutition. It is open for newcomers, experts, and interested parties alike. The Open Science Festival in the Netherlands serves as a role model for the event.
"We are delighted that the Open Science Festival 2024 is hosted by the Rhine-Main Universitites and will take place at JGU. Open science in all its facets is a vastly important topic with great significance for the future. It concerns all of us and plays a significant role for early-career researchers, students, and science support”, emphasizes Professor Stefan Müller-Stach, Vice President for Research and Early Career Academics at Mainz University. "At the Open Science Festival in Mainz, we will have interesting content and discussions. We are greatly looking forward to the upcoming exchange!"
Broad range of topics and formats
The festival's focus is on joint interaction and networking as well as on further expanding the diverse facets of open science-related topics – ranging from their implementation in the academic context to bringing those topics closer to the public. The Open Science Festival will offer a varied and interesting programin a broad range of formats. The OSF will be held in English, with some workshops offered in German to make the event accessible to a broader range of participants.
Keynote on climate change, panel discussions, speed dating, workshops
One of the highlights of the 2024 Open Science Festival will be the keynote addressing climate change in connection with open science practices. Furthermore, panel discussions will be held on both days of the festival, with experts discussing the questions of "Transparency & Intelligence? Advancing Artificial Intelligence with Open Science" and "Data and knowledge: Public goods or commercial assets?".
In addition to introductory sessions, there will also be more advanced workshops on both days of the festival to explore specific issues in more detail. Participants can choose among courses on open-source software, the connection between open science and Mastodon, research into open cultural heritage through citizen science, research data management, and aspects of science communication. These workshops invite their participants to deepen their understanding in specific fields and gain valuable insights for their own scientific practice.
Taking part in the speed dating event, participants will quickly establish new valuable contacts, extend their existing network, and easily integrate open science newcomers into the open science community. The German Open Science Festival serves as an important meeting point for scientists from different fields to come together and jointly work on an open and fair scientific culture.
Members from all three Rhine-Main Universities jointly drafted and organized the varied program for the OSF. "As project manager for the third German Open Science Festival, it's a great pleasure to participate in the establishment of a platform for scientists from various fields to come together to exchange ideas, share best practices, and jointly promote the principles of openness and transparency in science", emphasizes project manager Marieke Koliopoulos of Mainz University.
The Rhine-Main Universities
Goethe University Frankfurt, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, und the Technical University of Darmstadt constitute the strategic Rhine-Main Universities (RMU) alliance, combining a total of about 98,000 students and more than 1,500 professors. The three universities cooperate closely in research, teaching, and learning. All three partners are renowned research universities that shape the Frankfurt-Rhine-Main region as an internationally visible academic hub. Close collaboration and intensive exchange are essential for science and research. The Rhine-Main Universities are a driving force of interaction – between each other, in the region, with society and business, and internationally.