Reading gets share of major funding to boost open research

Researchers at the University of Reading are set to benefit from a multi-million pound funding award to drive open research practices across the UK.

The UK Reproducibility Network (UKRN) project, led by the University of Bristol, is worth £8.5M over five years and includes £4.5M from the Research England Development (RED) Fund. Reading will receive £232,000 of this funding.

The funding will support additional training and evaluation work on open research practices to drive its uptake across the sector. It will Initially be delivered at institutions that are part of the UKRN consortium of 18 universities, which includes the University of Reading. The consortium is expected to grow over the five years of the award, to reach more researchers across the sector.

Dr Phil Newton, Research Dean for Environment at the University of Reading, said: “Open research is better research, so it is hugely exciting that through sharing cross-institutional learning and training, and improving awareness of how to incentivise its adoption, we can accelerate the uptake of excellent open research practice and the many associated benefits to quality, usefulness and public trust.”

Open research practices have been widely documented to improve the quality and integrity of research, and are recognised by the UK Government R&D Roadmap as contributing to improving the culture of research.

The project represents a major strategic investment by Research England that is intended to ensure the UK remains at the forefront of the open research agenda and continues to generate globally-leading and high-quality research. It builds on the recent announcement by the Science Minister regarding UKRI’s new open access policy.

Professor Marcus Munafo, from the University of Bristol’s School of Psychological Science, who chairs the UK Reproducibility Network Steering Group, said: “Open research practices – making as much of the research process available for re-use and scrutiny as possible – has the potential to accelerate the advancement of knowledge and improve the quality of the research we produce.

“This project will allow us to drive the uptake of open research practices across UK institutions and ensure this is done in a consistent and coordinated way. What is most exciting is that it represents a collaborative approach – multiple institutions working together to ensure the sector as a whole benefits.”

The UKRN is a national peer-led consortium, with representation across the UK through researcher-led local networks at several institutions.

It investigates the factors that contribute to robust research, promotes training activities, and disseminates best practice. It also works collaboratively with various external stakeholders to ensure coordination of efforts across the sector.