Open Research Conference 2024

The University of Manchester hosts Open Research Conference 2024

The University of Manchester’s Open Research conference 2024 was a great success, marking the culmination of the Opening Up Research Programme 2023/24. The event was a collaborative effort by the Office for Open Research, the School of Engineering Open Research Lead, the UK Reproducibility Network, and the Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute with support from the University's Open Research Strategy Group, chaired by Professor Colette Fagan.

The Conference Abstract Book and the full programme of presentations are openly available in Figshare. 

The conference provided an inclusive platform for post-graduate students, researchers, educators, practitioners, and policy makers from diverse disciplines and sectors, to explore the principles and practices of open research. 

The event began and ended with keynote presentations delivered by leading voices in the field of open research:

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  Sarah de Rijcke

  Sarah de Rijcke is Professor of Science, Technology and Innovation Studies at the Centre for Science and Technology Studies (CWTS) at Leiden University and Dean of the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences. Sarah presented a talk on ‘Transforming Open Research & Research Assessment for next generations’.

  View slides

• 

  Malvika Sharan

  Malvika Sharan is a Senior Researcher at The Alan Turing Institute in London with specialisations in open research and community building. Malvika presented a talk on ‘Open science for enabling reproducible, ethical and collaborative research’.

  View slides

These presentations set the tone for the conference and framed the discussion across several open research topics, including:

• Early career researchers driving forward open research in their research.
• Academics/researchers embedding open research in everyday teaching practice.
• Leading researchers developing innovative approaches to open research within their specialist fields.
• Case studies highlighting how The University of Manchester’s Open Research Fellowship is positively impacting the scope and reach of open research at the University.

Overall, the event enabled participants to connect, collaborate and share experiences of teaching, implementing, and advocating for open research, across both the University and wider academic landscape.

Open Research Award 2024

A highlight of the event was the announcement of the inaugural Open Research Award 2024, celebrating outstanding contributions to the University's open research culture over the past year. To find out more about the winner and shortlist, please see our Award pages.

Open Research Conference 2025

Based on the positive feedback from attendees, there are plans to run the conference again next year. If you are interested in being part of the Open Research conference 2025, please contact the Office for Open Research: openresearch@manchester.ac.uk.