Advancing Open Scholarship (FAIR)

Open scholarship and FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) scholarly practices support the efficient dissemination of knowledge to researchers, students, policy makers and the broader public, facilitate faster scientific discovery and problem solving, and underpin the integrity of research.

Open and FAIR scholarly practices are continually innovating. CAUL facilitates collaboration between libraries, funders, policy makers, publishers, and research communities to respond to the need for continual innovation.

The Advancing Open Scholarship program encompassed various initiatives, including advocacy work and projects designed to advance the open agenda through bodies of work with practical outcomes. The program built on CAUL’s earlier FAIR, Affordable and Open Access to Knowledge program. The program is succeeded by the Open Access Program (2023-2025).

The Advancing Open Scholarship program was led by Catherine Clark (formerly Curtin University of Technology).

Selected Publications and Presentations

Connecting the Dots: 20+ Years of Open in Australia

This poster and accompanying web page were presented at the 15th Berlin Open Access Conference in September 2021. The poster provides an overview of progress on open access in Australia over the last two decades.

Projects

Libraries and Open Publishing Case Studies

Completed | Project Lead: Tracy Creagh (Queensland University of Technology)

This project developed a series of case studies of university libraries’ open publishing initiatives and accompanying researcher case studies that demonstrate the value of these initiatives. The case studies are intended to be helpful within and beyond the library sector to support advocacy work. They also provide examples of open publishing practice from which others can learn.

Project brief.

View the Libraries and Open Publishing Case Studies.

FAIR and Open Non-Traditional Research Outputs

Ongoing | Project Lead: Dr Gary Pearce (Monash University)

This exploratory project will investigate current academic library practice related to FAIR principles are applied to research outputs such as software and other NTROs (e.g. film, creative writing, website design), including areas where there are opportunities to improve or expand practice related to the application of the FAIR principles to NTROs. The project will also explore how the CARE principles should be applied to these outputs. The project will situate the role of the academic library in the broader Open Research landscape and explore how the library’s work relates to the work of other bodies both within and beyond the researcher’s institution. The project will also produce a framework that provides guidance for CAUL Member institutions about how to increase the proportion of NTROs by Australian university researchers that are appropriately described, archived, preserved and made accessible. 

Project brief.

View the FAIR and Open NTRO Framework. 

Open Research Toolkit

Completed | Project leads: Siân Woolcock (University of South Austrlia) for CAUL and Alison Matthews (Charles Sturt University) for ARMS

The ARMS/CAUL Open Research Working Group is developing an open research toolkit for use by universities to support open research. 

View the Open Research Toolkit.

Past Program Events

2020 Virtual Events:

• International Perspectives: Developing a National Strategy for Open Research (12 November 2020)
• Developing an Overarching National Strategy for Open Research in Australia (23 November 2020)