Systemic Research on Open Science in Europe: Insights from the SCIROS Network

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7557/5.8342

Keywords:

open science, ssh, Research Infrastructure, International Collaboration, Theory, Open Research Infrastructure

Abstract

The SCIROS project (Strategic Collaboration for Interdisciplinary Research on Open Science) is a direct response to pressing needs expressed by the humanities and social sciences (SSH) community, identified through surveys and interviews conducted within projects of OPERAS, European research infrastructure supporting scholarly communication in SSH (e.g., in OPERAS-P, OPERAS-PL, DIAMAS, PALOMERA). These investigations revealed a significant empirical gap in the discourse on Open Science (OS), limiting robust arguments for its usefulness and impact. SCIROS aims to fill this gap by creating an international research network to systematically study OS in SSH, fostering durable cooperation through researcher exchanges, joint publications, and international and local events.

Research is structured around three pillars:

  1. Theory of Open Science (TOS):
    Analyses the epistemological and ethical foundations of OS in SSH. It addresses questions about the institutional and normative assumptions shaping OS advocacy, and how these influence academic freedom and knowledge production. Methods include interdisciplinary conceptual analysis and critical reflection.
  2. Practice of Open Science (POS):
    Explores how OS principles are enacted in SSH, with a focus on open peer review, multilingual publishing, and research assessment reform. It examines challenges and opportunities in applying FAIR and CARE principles in SSH contexts, using case studies, co-writing sprints, and stakeholder interviews.
  3. Infrastructure of Open Science (IOS):
    Investigates the sustainability, governance, and user engagement strategies of Open Research Infrastructures (ORIs). Drawing on recent research (Fecher et al., 2021; Mounier & Dumas Primbault, 2023), IOS conducts surveys to assess Customer & User Engagement (CUE) practices, aiming to repair gaps in research infrastructures and enhance their competitiveness and long-term sustainability.

This poster presents the joint research network we are building across seven European countries – Poland, Italy, Portugal, Luxembourg, France, Finland and Germany, as part of the SCIROS project. It showcases our collaborative efforts to study Open Science through interdisciplinary research, researcher exchanges, and shared activities. Together, we aim to address key challenges and advance sustainable, transparent, and interconnected research infrastructures.

Author Biographies

  • Maciej Maryl, Institute of Literary Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences

    Ph.D., assistant professor and the founding Director of the Digital Humanities Centre at the Institute of Literary Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences (CHC IBL PAN). He cooperates with OPERAS as Executive Assembly member and the leader of OPERAS Innovation Lab. He chairs ALLEA E-humanities Working Group, and co-chairs DARIAH Digital Methods and Practices Observatory. He participates in committees important for digital humanities infrastructures as a member of SSH Open Cluster Governing BoardDARIAH-PL Steering BoardPolish Science Contact Agency (PolSCA) Advisory Board, and Digital Repository Ireland Advisory Board.

  • Gabriela Manista, Institute of Literary Research

    PhD, Coordinator of the Digital Humanities Centre at IBL PAN. She specializes in digital museology, open access, and digital heritage. Dr. Manista's research often explores the social impact of cultural institutions, and she frequently works on EU-funded projects in this area.

  • Marta Świetlik, Institute of Literary Research

    PhD at the Digital Humanities Centre at IBL PAN. Her research centers on socially engaged art, public art, and art institutions. Her work involves applying User Experience (UX) design methodologies to cultural studies and the analysis of art exhibitions.

  • Mateusz Franczak, Institute of Literary Research

    Open Science Officer at the Digital Humanities Centre at IBL PAN. His role focuses on supporting the institute's staff with open access, free licenses, and various digitization projects.

  • Tomasz Umerle, Institute of Literary Research

    PhD at the Digital Humanities Centre at IBL PAN and Poznań Supercomputing and Networking Centre. His work focuses on R&D for research infrastructure. Dr. Umerle is also an expert in cultural and scientific metadata, particularly bibliographical data, and semantic discovery.

  • Magdalena Wnuk, Institute of Literary Research

    PhD and Head of Open Humanities Section at the Digital Humanities Centre at IBL PAN. Her research is interdisciplinary, combining methods from cultural anthropology, sociology, and history to explore topics such as migration, and she also engages in policy analysis.

  • Cezary Rosiński, Institute of Literary Research

    PhD, is an information, documentation, and data specialist who participates in many projects at the Digital Humanities Centre at IBL PAN. He focuses his research on Bibliographic Data Science and the concept of space in contemporary literature. Dr. Rosiński utilizes his programming skills for data processing and developing Linked Open Data for humanities research.

  • Piotr Wciślik, Institute of Literary Research

    PhD and Scientific Coordinator of the Digital Humanities Centre at IBL PAN. He specializes in intellectual history and digital humanities. His research explores Cold War-era dissent and independent "samizdat" culture in Central Europe, as well as methods for digital data curation.

References

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Benedikt Fecher, Rebecca Kahn, Nataliia Sokolovska, Teresa Völker, Philip Nebe, Making a Research Infrastructure: Conditions and Strategies to Transform a Service into an Infrastructure, Science and Public Policy, Volume 48, Issue 4, August 2021, Pages 499–507, https://doi.org/10.1093/scipol/scab026

Pierre Mounier, Simon Dumas Primbault. Sustaining Knowledge and Governing its Infrastructure in the Digital Age: An Integrated View. 2023. hal-04309735

Published

2025-10-28

How to Cite

Maryl, M., Manista, G., Świetlik, M., Franczak, M., Umerle, T., Wnuk, M., … Wciślik, P. (2025). Systemic Research on Open Science in Europe: Insights from the SCIROS Network. Septentrio Conference Series, (2). https://doi.org/10.7557/5.8342