TY - JOUR
T1 - Research funders should be more transparent
T2 - a plea for open applications
AU - Horbach, Serge Pascal Johannes M
AU - Tijdink, Joeri K
AU - Bouter, Lex
PY - 2022/10/12
Y1 - 2022/10/12
N2 - Transparency is increasingly becoming the new norm and modus operandi of the global research enterprise. In this mini-review, we summarize ongoing initiatives to increase transparency in science and funding in particular. Based on this, we make a plea for the next step in funders' compliance with the principles of Open Science, suggesting the adoption of open applications. Our proposed model includes a plea for the publication of all submitted grant applications; open sharing of review reports, argumentations for funding decisions and project evaluation reports; and the disclosure of reviewers' and decision committee members' identities. In line with previous calls for transparency and the available evidence about these measures' effectiveness, we argue that open applications could lead to more diverse collaboration, recognition of research ideas, fairer procedures for grant allocation, more research on funding practices and increased trust in the funding allocation process.
AB - Transparency is increasingly becoming the new norm and modus operandi of the global research enterprise. In this mini-review, we summarize ongoing initiatives to increase transparency in science and funding in particular. Based on this, we make a plea for the next step in funders' compliance with the principles of Open Science, suggesting the adoption of open applications. Our proposed model includes a plea for the publication of all submitted grant applications; open sharing of review reports, argumentations for funding decisions and project evaluation reports; and the disclosure of reviewers' and decision committee members' identities. In line with previous calls for transparency and the available evidence about these measures' effectiveness, we argue that open applications could lead to more diverse collaboration, recognition of research ideas, fairer procedures for grant allocation, more research on funding practices and increased trust in the funding allocation process.
KW - Open Science
KW - research funding
KW - responsible research practices
KW - transparency
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85140436117&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1098/rsos.220750
DO - 10.1098/rsos.220750
M3 - Review
C2 - 36312565
SN - 2054-5703
VL - 9
JO - Royal Society Open Science
JF - Royal Society Open Science
IS - 10
M1 - 220750
ER -