In November and December of 2022, the University of Bath conducted a survey which was open to all academic staff and postgraduate research students, and aimed to assess awareness, use and levels of engagement in open research practices.

Questions also explored researchers’ potential concerns about engaging in open research and asked them how the University can help to bridge the gap between awareness and use. Conducting the survey was a key objective of the University’s Open Research Action Plan, and the results capture a baseline of engagement in open research practice which can be used to measure our progress in this area over time.

The findings from the survey are presented and discussed in a recent report from members of the Open Research Steering Group. You can download and read the report here.

Alongside this report being published, we are pleased to share some in-depth case studies from researchers in our community about their experiences of engaging with open research practices including pre-registration, pre-prints, open access publishing, and open data and materials. We hope the case studies are useful in showcasing the pathways to using open research, and the potential benefits to researchers.

We will continue to share more case studies throughout the year and would love to hear from you about your own experiences with open research. If you would like to be involved in sharing a case study, please contact Fran Baber to find out more.

The Steering Group plan to conduct a second wave of the open research survey in the academic year 2025/26.