Description of the normative framework of open science and it’s relevance to the principles of research ethics and research integrity.

Open science (OS), though indeed revolutionary, is also rooted, and so should the philosophico-ethical framework used to address epistemic-ethical challenges that arise in knowledge production within an OS context. This normative framework affirms the wisdom and the principles of research ethics (RE) and research integrity (RI) as enshrined in various declarations and guidelines, as well as the derived and increasingly widely agreed principles of OS.

OS, as well as RE and RI, have in common its foundation on the universality of human rights. In full alignment with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, OS assumes and serves the principle that “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.”

From this basic principle flows the RE principle enshrined in the UNESCO Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rightswhich states that “Human dignity, human rights and fundamental freedoms are to be fully respected” and that “The interests and welfare of the individual should have priority over the sole interest of science or society.”

OS is also rooted in RI, which, interpreted from the perspective of and founded on basic and generic respect for persons, defines good research practice as that which is based on the following fundamental principles, as stated in the European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity:

Reliability in ensuring the quality of research, reflected in the design, the methodology, the analysis and the use of resources. Honesty in developing, undertaking, reviewing, reporting and communicating research in a transparent, fair, full and unbiased way. Respect for colleagues, research participants, society, ecosystems, cultural heritage and the environment. Accountability for the research from idea to publication, for its management and organisation, for training, supervision and mentoring, and for its wider impacts.

From the perspective of research as a naturally collaborative practice, which includes North-South collaborations, OS is also rooted in principles governing research collaborations in resource-poor settings, as elaborated in the TRUST Global Code of Conduct for Research in Resource-Poor Settings, specifically the principles of fairness, respect, care, and honesty.

OS, as much as it is rooted in the above-mentioned principles, must also be governed by the following widely accepted foundations of the principle of openness, as reflected in the UNESCO Recommendation on OS: Quality and integrity; collective benefit; equity and fairness; diversity and inclusiveness. Lastly, the principles supporting the principle of openness are enabled by the following principles, as stated in the UNESCO Recommendation on OS: transparency, scrutiny, critique, and reproducibility; equality of opportunities; responsibility, respect, and accountability; collaboration, participation, and inclusion; flexibility; sustainability.

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This passage is part of D1.2: Suggested framework for addressing the (epistemic-ethical) challenges with knowledge production, that feeds into D1.3 written by Søren Holm, Kadri Simm, Rosemarie Bernabe.