Open Research Information program 2025-2030 published!

Building a Digital Commons for Research Information

The ORI program is fundamentally about creating a digital commons – a shared ecosystem where research information is treated as a public community asset under public governance. This approach directly addresses the growing concern about the sector's dependence on commercial platforms for managing and using research information, which poses risks to the openness, accessibility, and transparency that are essential to academic integrity.

Four Strategic Pillars

The ORI program is structured around four interconnected strategic goals that will guide activities from 2025 to 2030:

1. Stronger Foundation for Open Research Information

This pillar focuses on establishing the fundamental infrastructure needed for open research information exchange. Key areas include:

• Increased adoption of Persistent Identifiers (PIDs) for research entities
• Clearer agreements on roles and responsibilities in the information chain
• Development of a data model based on CERIF for research information exchange
• Transparent domain architecture of players and information flows

2. Higher Quality and Coverage of Metadata in Diverse Research Processes

Moving beyond the traditional focus on publishing and deposit processes, this goal aims to capture metadata from across the entire research lifecycle:

• Including non-traditional research outputs (gray literature, policy briefs, etc.)
• Standardizing metadata schemas for processes like grant applications, data management, and ethical reviews
• Improving metadata quality through better agreements and standards

3. Deeper Connections and Enrichments

This pillar focuses on creating a federated system that can aggregate and enrich individual records based on collective input:

• Enabling institutions to use enriched records from open infrastructures
• Facilitating high-quality records for advanced reporting and analysis
• Improving provenance tracking of enriched records

4. Better Visibility, Usability, and Sustainability

Ensuring that open research information reaches its intended users and remains accessible long-term:

• Making enriched research information available to open infrastructures nationally and internationally
• Establishing strategies for long-term archiving and preservation

Community-Driven Approach

What makes the ORI program unique is its collaborative approach. Rather than operating through directive mandates, SURF relies on shared vision, influence, and soft power to drive transformation. The program recognizes that institutions are the true agents of change, while SURF's role is to facilitate, coordinate, and inspire action.

The program employs a dual strategy of monitoring and communication:

• Monitoring: Using OKR (Objectives and Key Results) frameworks aligned with SURF's trimestral reporting cycles, with publicly visible dashboards tracking progress
• Communication: Maintaining an active ORI community through events, blogs, lectures, and collaborative platforms

Governance and Organization

The program operates within SURF's Innovation Zone Strengthening Open Science, with a clear governance structure:

• Program Board: Providing strategic oversight and alignment
• Advisory Board: Representing key stakeholder groups including UNL, UKB, DCC-PO, NFU, CWTS, RINN, NWO/OS-NL, and DANS/OSC
• Program Team: A dedicated core unit responsible for coordinated management and delivery

What's Next?

The ORI program officially kicked off in 2025 and will run through 2030. The program team will develop annual work plans specifying projects and their contributions to strategic goals, with progress tracked through the OKR framework and shared transparently with the community.

For the ORI community, this program represents both an opportunity and a responsibility. Success depends on active participation from research institutions, libraries, and other stakeholders across the Netherlands. The transition to open research information is not just about technology and infrastructure – it's about preserving and strengthening the values that make academic research trustworthy, accessible, and beneficial to society.

The full ORI Program 2025-2030 is available with DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.15772562 and is licensed under CC-BY 4.0 for open sharing and reuse.