Barcelona Declaration on Open Research Information
The University of Groningen’s Implementation Plan for Open Research Information
The University of Groningen is committed to advancing open science and responsible research assessment. In April 2024, the University signed the Barcelona Declaration on Open Research Information, joining what has since grown into an international coalition of more than 120 universities, funders and research organizations working toward a more transparent, interoperable and community-governed research information ecosystem.
A broad coalition of stakeholders across the University of Groningen, coordinated through the Open Science Programme (OSP) and involving the University Library, Research Intelligence Services (RISe), University Services, FAIR Research Information Dashboard (FRIDa), researchers and research support professionals, has taken concrete steps and jointly developed a comprehensive implementation plan, outlined below.
The Barcelona Declaration calls for a transition away from closed and proprietary research information systems toward open research information that is freely accessible, reproducible, and transparent. This includes metadata about publications, researchers, affiliations, grants and other scholarly activities that underpin research evaluation, discovery and strategic decision-making.
Why open research information matters
Why open research information matters
Research information powers many of the systems used across academia, including bibliographic databases, citation indexes, university rankings and research analytics tools. However, much of this information remains locked inside proprietary infrastructures operated by a small number of providers.
This creates several challenges:
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Limited transparency in how indicators and rankings are generated
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Restricted reproducibility of analyses and evaluations
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Reduced institutional autonomy over research information
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Barriers to equitable and responsible research assessment
The Barcelona Declaration promotes a shift toward open, FAIR and community-governed research information infrastructures that support transparency, accountability and inclusive decision-making.
The University of Groningen’s approach
The University of Groningen’s approach
The UG implementation of the Barcelona Declaration is closely connected to several university initiatives, including:
Our approach emphasizes not only openness of data, but also openness in governance, collaboration and methodology. Rather than simply recreating existing proprietary systems in open formats, we aim to co-develop new forms of research intelligence and evaluation together with researchers, research managers and support professionals.
Commitment 1: We will make openness the default for the research information we use and produce
Commitment 1: We will make openness the default for the research information we use and produce
The University of Groningen is actively exploring open alternatives to proprietary research information systems such as Scopus, SciVal, Web of Science and InCites.
Through RISe and the FRIDa initiative, the university is evaluating open infrastructures including OpenAlex and Crossref to support responsible and transparent research assessment workflows.
Recent steps include:
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Discontinuation of the university’s InCites license
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Discontinuation of the Altmetric Explorer license
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Discontinuation of the Web of Science license as of January 1, 2027.
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Continuous evaluation of Scival and Scopus usage
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Entering into a support membership of OpenAlex
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Development of the FRIDa research information data warehouse
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Integration of FAIR principles into institutional research information practices
The university also supports open metadata through the institutional repository and through the activities of the University of Groningen Press.
Commitment 2: We will work with services and systems that support and enable open research information wherever possible
Commitment 2: We will work with services and systems that support and enable open research information wherever possible
The UG supports the use of open persistent identifiers and interoperable metadata standards, including:
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ORCID
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DOI
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ROR identifiers
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Crossref metadata services
Within national negotiations on Read & Publish agreements, the university advocates for the openness of publication metadata and improved interoperability across scholarly communication systems.
At the same time, the university is exploring future pathways toward greater independence from proprietary Current Research Information Systems (CRIS) through the development of open and interoperable infrastructures.
Commitment 3: We will support the sustainability of infrastructures for open research information
Commitment 3: We will support the sustainability of infrastructures for open research information
The University Library actively supports and contributes to a range of open scholarly infrastructures and community initiatives, including:
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Crossref
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OpenAIRE
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ORCID
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euroCRIS
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ROR
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Unpaywall
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arXiv
The university also participates in national and international collaborations focused on strengthening open metadata ecosystems, data interoperability and sustainable governance models for scholarly infrastructures.
Commitment 4: We will support collective action to accelerate the transition to openness of research information
Commitment 4: We will support collective action to accelerate the transition to openness of research information
The University of Groningen plays an active role in national and international collaborations advancing open research information.
UG participates in initiatives and networks including:
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SURF Open Research Information Programme
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Research Intelligence Network Netherlands (RINN)
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ORI-PID to Portal Project
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ENLIGHT
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The Guild
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Coimbra Group
Our university also co-leads the Dutch National Barcelona Declaration Network and contributes to international working groups developing shared roadmaps for open research information.
Looking ahead
Looking ahead
The University of Groningen views the transition to open research information as an essential component of open science, digital autonomy and responsible research assessment.
The implementation plan is designed as a living document and will continue to evolve in dialogue with researchers, support staff, policy experts and international partners. Progress will be reviewed periodically as the university continues working toward a more transparent, equitable and sustainable research information ecosystem.
Download the Plan
Our commitments are explained in more detail in the Barcelona Declaration on Open Research Information Implementation Plan.
Contact
Do you have a question or would like to give us your feedback? Contact Ana Ranitovic, Chief of Open Science.