Video Lesson: What are the Fundamental Concepts and Advantages of Open Science?

Watch the video lesson on open science, open research data, the benefits of open science, open science policies, and initiatives such as the Croatian Science Cloud.

Transcript

	Welcome. In this video lesson, we will focus on the fundamental concepts and benefits of open science. Together we will explore what we mean by the term open science, with special emphasis on open research data. We'll consider the many benefits that open science brings both to researchers and the scientific community and to society as a whole. In addition, we will touch upon the importance of open science policies at the level of higher education institutions as well as at the national and international levels. Finally, we will introduce you to a key initiative in Croatia that is actively contributing to achieving the goals of open science, the Croatian Scientific Cloud (HR-ZOO). Open science is an approach to science that strives for transparency and openness of the entire research process, encouraging participation and collaboration of all stakeholders. This includes the free sharing and availability of research results, methods, data and publications, and the conditions that enable their reuse, sharing, verification, and replication. Encompassing all scientific disciplines and aspects of practice, it is based on open data, infrastructure, communication, scientific integrity, transparent evaluation, and open dialogue with the community. Open science significantly contributes to higher education institutions, the academic community, and society as a whole in several ways. It facilitates access to existing knowledge and encourages the creation of new knowledge; increases the visibility and impact of research results; encourages their application in different spheres; strengthens research integrity and public trust in science; emphasizes the importance of collaboration and the inclusion of all stakeholders in the scientific process; and ensures equal access to knowledge and inclusiveness in its creation. Why did you launch the initiative to create the Open Science Policy of the University of Zagreb, and why is it important? 
  The Open Science Policy is an extremely important strategic document, especially for the largest university in the Republic of Croatia, the University of Zagreb. We believe that open science, along with open education, is a key priority for the University of Zagreb and an important part of its future development. 
  What benefits does open science bring?
  Open science, together with open education, enables the sharing of scientific research results. It increases the transparency of scientific research and also enhances its reliability. As a result, it provides valuable benefits to society as a whole. It can also contribute to stronger networking and collaboration within the scientific community.
  What are the goals of the University of Zagreb related to open science and the openness of research results as defined in the open science policy?
  First and foremost, the goal is to ensure access to research results and publications produced at the University of Zagreb by faculty members, researchers, and students. Another objective is to make this knowledge and these results transparent, to increase the transparency and reliability of scientific research, and to enable networking and collaboration. The policy also aims to increase the visibility and impact of our academic publications. Ultimately, its purpose is to provide greater value to society by opening access to the results of our research, as well as, of course, to open educational resources.
  What are the obligations of the university's constituents and their employees regarding the entry of works into the open system CroRIS/CROSBI?
  Our faculty members, researchers, staff, and students are required, when publishing scientific research results, to register their publications in the national research information system.
  Can you explain the CoARA  initiative, the Coalition for Advanced Research Assessment?
  COARA is an international initiative, and the University of Zagreb is one of its signatories. The initiative seeks to transform the way scientific achievements and research contributions are evaluated. Its goal is to replace or complement quantitative metrics with qualitative assessment. Open research data are transforming the way science operates, enabling wider dissemination of research findings, greater research efficiency, and stronger public trust in the scientific process. 
  Open research data is transforming the way science works, enabling broader dissemination of findings, greater research efficiency, and strengthening public trust in the scientific process. In Croatia, the Croatian Scientific Cloud (HR-ZOO) Initiative is at the forefront of this transformation. As national e-Infrastructure, HR-ZOO was built to enable Croatian researchers to make their research including valuable data, open, accessible, interoperable, and reusable in accordance with the FAIR principles. In this way, HR-ZOO not only facilitates the application of open science principles, but also ensures that Croatian science actively participates in the global exchange of knowledge.
  What key challenges in the Croatian scientific space did you recognize that called the creation for HR-ZOO?
  Modern science in the 21st century is, above all, data-intensive. The key challenges facing Croatian science are no different from those faced by our colleagues across Europe, because science today is multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and data-intensive. Addressing these challenges requires solutions from the perspective of digital service providers, including new computing and storage resources, high-speed network connectivity, and support for mobility, which is one of the key elements of modern scientific work. All of these developments, and the emerging trends of the 21st century, have created new requirements for the development of a national digital infrastructure, which we implemented through the HR-ZOO project.
  Can you explain the key components and services that HR-ZOO offers to users?
  The computing and data infrastructure, known in simple terms as the Academic Scientific Cloud, or HR-ZOO, which was built and is operated by SRCE, provides long-term access to computing and data resources for scientists, researchers, teachers, students, and institutions within the science and higher education system. The core components of the Academic Cloud, developed through the HR-ZOO project, include five modern data centers located in four Croatian cities: two in Zagreb, and one each in Osijek, Rijeka, and Split. They are connected through a high-capacity network with speeds of up to 100 gigabits per second.
  The infrastructure is also connected to Europe through the GÉANT network, via CARNET and GÉANT, enabling the integration of our researchers and educational institutions into both the European education system and the European Research Area. It also includes a set of advanced computing resources, which form the foundation of two key SRCE services: the Advanced Computing Service and the Virtual Data Centre (VDC). Equally important is the human support component—a team of highly skilled experts who ensure that teachers, students, and institutions can effectively use all the advanced resources provided by SRCE through its service catalog. Users also receive comprehensive support through consultations, training programs, and practical guidance.
  In conclusion, this video lesson provided us with insight into the fundamental concepts and features of open science with special emphasis on the value of open research data. We explored the numerous benefits that open science brings, not only to researchers and the scientific community, but also to society as a whole, encouraging faster progress, greater transparency, and broader application of scientific knowledge. We also highlighted the importance of open science policies at various levels in guiding and encouraging these practices. We were introduced to the Croatian Scientific Cloud, HR-ZOO, as a key national initiative that actively works to achieve the goals of open science in Croatia, providing the necessary infrastructure and resources for modern and open scientific practice. We hope this overview was useful and we encourage you to further explore and apply the principles of open science in your work.