Cape Town, South Africa · 6 December 2022 — On the margins of the World Science Forum, whose 2022 theme was "Science for Social Justice," UNESCO launched the Open Science Toolkit — a comprehensive collection of guides, policy briefs, factsheets, and indices designed to help Member States translate the 2021 UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science into concrete national and institutional action.
The launch took place during an Open Science Day co-hosted by the Africa Open Science Platform, making the Cape Town forum a particularly fitting venue given its emphasis on equity and justice in global science. The Recommendation on Open Science, adopted by 193 countries at the 41st session of the UNESCO General Conference in November 2021, remains the first and only international standard-setting instrument on open science.
What the Toolkit Contains
The first release of the Toolkit comprised eight guides prepared in partnership with the UNESCO Working Groups on Open Science and experts from partner organisations. The resources are designed as a "living collection" — continuously updated and expanded — covering the full spectrum of open science implementation:
- Guides for open access publishers, developed in collaboration with the Open Access Scholarly Publishing Association (OASPA)
- Policy briefs on integrating open science values into institutional processes
- Factsheets on equitable scholarly publishing and intellectual property rights
- Checklists for institutional action plans
A Collaborative Effort
The Toolkit was not produced in isolation. UNESCO convened five specialised working groups to drive implementation: Open Science Capacity Building; Open Science Policies and Policy Instruments; Open Science Funding and Incentives; Open Science Infrastructures; and an Open Science Monitoring Framework. A Global Open Science Steering Committee was established to provide strategic oversight.
Ms. Claire Redhead, Executive Director of the Open Access Scholarly Publishing Association (OASPA), described the collaborative process:
"Putting these guidelines together was a really collaborative piece of work for OASPA, first in writing them and then sharing with the open access publishing community for feedback and further development. It's really exciting to see them now as part of UNESCO's toolkit and I hope they benefit open access publishers on their journey to implementing the Recommendation on Open Science in their publishing practices."
The guides for open access publishers were co-developed with EIFL's Iryna Kuchma, making them a globally relevant resource for the publishing community.
Why Open Science Matters
UNESCO defines open science as a set of movements, practices, and actions that aim to make all fields of scientific research accessible to everyone — not only scientists but society as a whole. This includes opening science across borders, between disciplines, and beyond single communities.
By promoting science that is more accessible, inclusive, and transparent, open science furthers the right of everyone to share in scientific advancement and its benefits, as stated in Article 27.1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
What Comes Next
Following the December 2022 launch, UNESCO announced plans to expand the Toolkit with additional resources in 2023:
Open Indices:
- UNESCO Open Science Capacity Building Index
- UNESCO Index of Open Science Knowledge Sharing Platforms
- UNESCO Global Observatory of Science, Technology and Innovation Policy Instruments (GO-SPIN) — Open Science module
Additional Guides:
- Engaging society in open science
- Nurturing open-source hardware for open science
- Empowering journalism in open science
- Promoting open dialogues with other knowledge systems
Factsheets:
- Towards equitable scholarly publishing
- Intellectual property rights and open science
- Overcoming challenges to the implementation of open science
Mr. Ezra Clark, Chief of Section for Science, Technology and Innovation Policy in UNESCO's Natural Sciences sector, cautioned that the transition is still in its early stages:
"The transition to a global open science model has only just begun. Countries and scientists around the world will need support and guidance every step of the way."
The African Context
The launch in Cape Town underscored Africa's growing role in the open science movement. The Africa Open Science Platform, which co-hosted the launch event, has been working to promote open science practices across the continent — a region where access to scientific literature and research infrastructure has historically been constrained by subscription paywalls and limited digital connectivity.
For African research institutions, the Toolkit provides a practical roadmap for developing national open science policies, building open access repositories, and aligning institutional practices with international standards. The guides address challenges specific to developing-country contexts, including gaps in digital infrastructure, funding constraints, and the need for capacity building.
Member States committed to reporting their progress on implementing the Recommendation every four years, with the first global assessment — the Open Science Outlook — scheduled for release in 2023.
Sources
- UNESCO, "UNESCO's toolkit can help accelerate the transition to global open science," 3 April 2023 —
- UNESCO Open Science Toolkit —
- UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science —
- World Science Forum 2022, Cape Town, South Africa
- Image: © Shutterstock/VectorMine, via UNESCO
FIRAT Editorial Board
Institutional Research Desk · Foresight Institute of Research and Translation
The collective editorial and research translation board of FIRAT, synthesising peer-reviewed evidence, policy briefs, and division milestones across our seven foundational research pillars.
