The KIOS Center of Excellence is recognized for its expertise in Open Science activities and therefore was selected by the University of Cyprus (UCY) to participate in the OPUS project as one of the three Research Performing Organizations to pilot the implementation of the Research Assessment Framework.
OPUS (Open and Universal Science) is an EU-funded project that aims to develop coordination and support measures to reform the assessment of research and researchers at Research Performing Organizations (RPOs) and Research Funding Organizations (RFOs) towards a system that incentivizes and rewards researchers to take up Open Science practices. The project’s partnership consists of 18 European organizations, including the University of Cyprus.
KIOS CoE as a Research Performing Organization at the University of Cyprus, will conduct a pilot to study the Open Science behavior of 12-15 early career researchers. Within a period of 18 months, the Center will perform interventions related to Open Science policy, resources, repository, training, and awareness raising. Participants in the pilot will be strongly encouraged to engage in KIOS Open Access Initiatives, such as publications, datasets, and reproducible research.
In addition to this pilot, two other pilots will be conducted at the NOVA University Lisbon (Portugal) and the University of Rijeka (Croatia). The outcomes of the pilots will be used to synthesize policy briefs on Open Science and a revised Career Assessment Matrix for assessing research careers.
Kick-off meeting of the OPUS project
The kick-off meeting of the OPUS project was held on 22 January 2024 at the University of Cyprus and marked the beginning of the pilot study at the KIOS CoE. During the meeting discussions took place concerning the project’s objectives, communication channels as well as ways to effectively coordinate and implement the Research Assessment Framework. Participants in the meeting included the KIOS CoE Director Prof. Polycarpou and Research Lecturers Dr. Christos Laoudias and Dr. Andreas Kasis, the ERA Chair holder in Science and Innovation Policy and Studies, Research Professor Zacharias Maniadis, the Head of the UCY Research and innovation Support Service, Dr. Marios Demetriades, the UCY Project Management Specialist Mr. Panagiotis Moiras, and the Coordinator of Digitization and Archives Office at the University of Cyprus Library, Mrs. Sylvia Koukounidou. The participation of these representatives underscored the university’s commitment to advance Open Science practices and its pivotal role in driving transformative change within the research community.
More information about the OPUS project: https://opusproject.eu/
