Belgian Science Policy Office (BELSPO) Open Science Policy

Abstract

BELSPO mandates that researchers deposit their publications in open access repositories immediately upon acceptance, ensuring prompt availability. The policy includes provisions for open access to research data, promoting data sharing and reuse among the scientific community. It is driven by the principle that publicly funded research should be accessible to all, maximizing societal benefits. This approach aligns with broader European Union initiatives promoting open access and open science practices. BELSPO via Belnet (Belgium’s National Research and Education Network (NREN)) not only supports the practical implementation of Belgium’s open science policies but also provides the critical technological foundation that ensures research data and resources are accessible, secure, and interoperable on a national and international scale.

BELSPO requires:

1. Depositing publications in Green Open Access institutional or thematic repositories on ID/OA basis (Immediate Deposit - Optional Access).

... and recommends:

2. Publishing in free of charge Diamond Open Access Journals/platforms run by public organizations.

3. Publishing in commercial Gold Open Access Journals with transparent pricing policies and fair prices for genuine added value.

Overview

Country	Belgium - Federal government
Start date	2019
Annual Budget	n/a
Responsible organisation(s)	Government agency
Target group(s)	Higher education institutes|Entrepreneurial networks|National government|Public research institutes|Technology transfer offices
Policy instrument type	Open Science Policy Document

Background

The Belgian Science Policy Office (via Belnet -Belgium’s National Research and Education Network (NREN)) is part of the EOSC. Belnet provides technical support and infrastructure for open science initiatives, including repositories and data sharing platforms. Belnet ensures the security and reliability of network services, which is critical for safeguarding sensitive research data and maintaining the integrity of open science practices. It supports initiatives such as the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC) by integrating Belgian infrastructure and services into the European ecosystem.

Objective(s)

To develop new network and data technologies.

To provide access to research and innovation tools and services, thousands of datasets from a wide scale of research domains from renowned European service providers.

Public access URL

http://stip.oecd.org/2023/data/policyInitiatives/99995442

All tags

• Data governance for trust
• Belgium - Federal government
• 2019
• Government agency
• Higher education institutes
• Entrepreneurial networks
• National government
• Public research institutes
• Technology transfer offices
• Strategies, agendas and plans
• Open access by default

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