Open Science

Core Concepts

Core Concepts

Open science is an approach to research that promotes transparency, accessibility, collaboration, and the reuse of scientific knowledge. It aims to make research processes and outputs more accessible to researchers, stakeholders, and the wider public. In Slovenia, activities related to open science are coordinated by the Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency (ARIS), which provides recommendations, guidelines, and updates on its website.

Further information is available on the ARIS Open Science portal.

Key principles of open science include:

  • Immediate and universal access to scientific outputs resulting from publicly funded research, including publications and research data.
  • Sharing and collaborative use of software, hardware, and other research infrastructures.
  • Transparency of research methods, protocols, and experimental procedures.
  • Responsible reuse and long‑term preservation of research data.
  • Promotion of fair and transparent research assessment practices.
  • Strengthening the interaction between science and society.
  • Encouraging open practices in related areas such as education and culture.
  • Fostering a research culture based on collaboration, openness, and knowledge sharing.

Open access is a key component of open science and modern scholarly communication. It ensures that scientific publications and research outputs are freely accessible online without financial, legal, or technical barriers. By removing access restrictions, open access enhances the visibility and impact of research and supports faster dissemination of knowledge.

Open access enables users to read, download, store, print, copy, distribute, and publicly display research outputs. In many cases, open access publishing is supported through open licences such as Creative Commons licences, which define conditions for reuse while ensuring appropriate attribution.

Research Data

Research Data

Research data are a fundamental component of the research process. They consist of factual records collected or generated during research activities and may include numerical data, textual materials, images, audio recordings, or other digital objects. Research data provide the basis for scientific analysis and enable verification and reproducibility of research results (OECD, 2007).

In the context of open science, responsible research data management is essential. Research data should be managed according to the FAIR principles, which ensure that data are Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable.

A key instrument supporting research data management is the Data Management Plan (DMP). Researchers are encouraged to prepare a DMP at the beginning of a research project and update it throughout the project lifecycle.

In Slovenia, the preparation of a Data Management Plan is required for many projects funded with public resources. The Regulation on the implementation of scientific research work in accordance with the principles of open science (Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia No. 186/21 and 40/23) requires that research projects funded from public sources in the amount of at least 50% include a DMP.

The Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency provides an online form for submitting Data Management Plans.

Researchers may also consult international templates and guidance materials developed by research funders and organisations.

Examples include:

Open Access Publishing

Open Access Publishing

Open access publishing refers to the publication of scholarly works in a manner that allows free and immediate access to research outputs. This model supports the wider dissemination of knowledge and increases the visibility and impact of scientific research.

There are two primary routes to open access publishing recognised within European research policy: Gold Open Access and Green Open Access.

In the Gold Open Access route, articles are published directly in open access journals that provide immediate access to the full text. Such journals can be identified in the

Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ)

In the Green Open Access route, authors deposit their publications in institutional or disciplinary repositories, making them accessible to the public alongside or after publication.

Researchers may also publish on open research platforms such as Open Research Europe, which support immediate open access to research outputs funded by the European Commission.

Additional guidance on open access publishing is available on the Odprte objave portal.

Open Science Policy and Legislation

Open Science Policy and Legislation

The legal and policy framework for open science in Slovenia aims to ensure open access to scientific publications, research data, and other research outputs resulting from publicly funded research.

A key legislative act is the Research and Innovation Activities Act (ZZrID), which introduces open science principles into the Slovenian research system and promotes open access to research outputs.

Implementation of open science principles is further defined in the Regulation on the implementation of scientific research work in accordance with the principles of open science.

Slovenian open science policy is aligned with European research policy, particularly the Horizon Europe framework programme, which promotes immediate open access to research outputs and responsible research data management in accordance with the FAIR principles.

Additional policy documents include:

Trusted Repositories

Trusted Repositories

Trusted repositories are digital infrastructures that provide secure, long‑term preservation and access to research outputs such as publications, research data, software, and multimedia materials. They play a key role in supporting open science by enabling sustainable access, discoverability, and reuse of research results.

When selecting a repository, researchers should prioritise disciplinary repositories when available. If such repositories are not available, institutional repositories or well‑established general repositories may be used.

Slovenian repositories

International repositories

Repository directories