Open research data and methods. National policy and executive plan by the higher education and research community for 2021–2025: Policy component 1 (Open access to research data) and 2 (Open access to research methods and infrastructures)

This Policy for Open Access to Research Data and Methods supports the Declaration for Open Science and Research 2020–2025 and its overarching principle that research should be as open as possible and as closed as necessary. This policy builds on extensive national and international work and dialogue. It has been drawn up by the Finnish research community and coordinated by National Coordination for Open Science and Research (the Federation of Finnish Learned Societies). 

The policy focuses on the openness of research data, methods, and infrastructures. It views openness as an element of research quality and impact across the full life cycle of research and as an opportunity to advance global inclusivity in research. It considers research data and methods as independent research outputs, and generally encourages opening up the research process as early and widely as possible, and requests that limitations to openness should be justified. Existing frameworks, such as the FAIR principles, can be used to regulate the level of openness for research data and various types of methods. 

All fields of higher education and research are covered by this policy. The diversity across fields forms challenges for translating and implementing best practices. The policy emphasises general principles of responsible management of research resources, access to appropriate services, and responsible research evaluation. These guiding principles have been formulated as specific objectives and actions for researchers, research and funding organisations, and other actors. The Open Science Coordination at the Federation of Finnish Learned Societies will monitor the implementation and further development of this policy as part of the national open science monitoring programme.