Paris, France · 14 December 2023 — UNESCO released Open Science Outlook 1: Status and Trends Around the World, the first comprehensive global assessment of open science since the adoption of the UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science by 193 Member States in November 2021. The report found that while open science practices are on the rise across regions and disciplines, access to, participation in, and sharing of the benefits from open science remain deeply uneven.
The publication marks a milestone in the implementation of the Recommendation — the first international standard-setting instrument on open science. It provides the first systematic attempt to gauge the impact of the Recommendation, identify challenges, and lay the groundwork for future progress.
Key Findings
The Outlook's central finding is that the adoption of open science policies and practices has increased since 2021, with the number of countries having such policies nearly doubling. However, this growth has been uneven, with gaps persisting along existing socio-economic, technological, and digital divides between countries.
Three persistent barriers were identified as major hurdles to achieving an equitable global transition:
- Funding gaps — Lack of equity in access to research funding prevents researchers in low- and middle-income countries from fully participating in open science practices
- Digital infrastructure deficits — Inadequate broadband connectivity, data storage, and computing resources limit the ability of institutions in developing regions to host and share open data
- Skills shortages — Insufficient training in open science methodologies, data management, and digital tools constrains adoption at the institutional level
The Promise of Open Science
UNESCO defines open science as a powerful tool to bridge existing science, technology, and innovation gaps, accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, and promote the fulfilment of the human right to science. The Outlook reaffirms this potential while warning that without deliberate action, open science could inadvertently widen existing divides.
The Implementation Journey: 2021–2023
The Outlook reviews the first two years of implementation since the Recommendation's adoption. Key milestones during this period include:
- April 2022: UNESCO launched its official implementation strategy, providing a roadmap for Member States to translate the Recommendation's objectives into national and local actions
- Five working groups were convened, focusing on capacity building, policies and policy instruments, funding and incentives, infrastructures, and a monitoring framework
- December 2022: The UNESCO Open Science Toolkit was launched at the World Science Forum in Cape Town, South Africa, providing practical guides, policy briefs, and factsheets for stakeholders at all levels
- A Global Open Science Steering Committee was established to provide ongoing strategic guidance
The Toolkit, described as a "living resource," contains indices of open science knowledge sharing platforms, capacity building resources, and policy instruments — designed to help stakeholders locate the tools they need to implement open science in their specific contexts.
The Four-Year Reporting Cycle
Under the Recommendation, Member States committed to reporting their progress on implementation every four years. The first reporting cycle is underway, and the Outlook synthesises the initial data received alongside independent research and monitoring data.
This reporting mechanism is designed to create accountability and enable peer learning. By tracking progress against shared benchmarks, Member States can identify gaps in their own approaches and learn from the experiences of others. The Outlook notes, however, that many countries lack the data collection systems needed to report meaningfully — a challenge that itself reflects the broader infrastructure deficits the report identifies.
Regional Disparities
The Outlook documents significant regional variation in open science adoption:
- Europe and North America have the most developed open science policy frameworks, supported by mandates from funding agencies and established institutional repositories
- Latin America and the Caribbean have a long tradition of open access publishing, with regional platforms like SciELO and LA Referencia predating the UNESCO Recommendation
- Asia shows growing adoption, particularly in open data initiatives, though policies vary widely across the region
- Africa faces the steepest challenges, with limited digital infrastructure and funding constraining adoption, though initiatives like the Africa Open Science Platform are working to build capacity
- Small Island Developing States and Least Developed Countries are at particular risk of being left behind, with the most acute infrastructure and skills gaps
The Path Forward
The Outlook concludes that the transition to open science requires a fundamental shift in the culture of and partnerships for science. Only collective, collaborative, and coordinated action and investment can accelerate the transition to a truly global, equitable open science.
UNESCO identifies several priorities for the coming years:
- Closing the funding gap — Ensuring that open science initiatives in developing countries receive sustained financial support, not just one-off project grants
- Investing in infrastructure — Building the digital backbone — repositories, data platforms, and connectivity — that open science requires
- Capacity building — Training researchers, librarians, and policymakers in open science practices and tools
- Aligning incentives — Reforming research assessment systems to reward open science practices, in line with the DORA (San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment) principles
- Promoting international cooperation — Strengthening multistakeholder partnerships that bridge the divides between regions and disciplines
The report is available in Chinese, English, and French, reflecting UNESCO's commitment to multilingual access — itself a principle of open science.
Sources
- UNESCO, "Open science outlook 1: status and trends around the world," 14 December 2023 —
- UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science —
- UNESCO Open Science Toolkit —
- UNESCO Institute for Statistics, R&D Data Release —
- Image: UNESCO Open Science Outlook 1 cover, 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.
