Research and Open Scholarship Services (ROSS)
Open Science at North-West University
Open Science initiatives at North-West University are overseen by and accountable to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for NWU Research, Innovation, Community Engagement and Postgraduate Studies (RICEP).
Aligned with the National Open Science Policy, the NWU defines Open Science as a collaborative, transparent, and reproducible approach to research and development whose outputs are made appropriately accessible to all levels of society. Our framework is guided by the cardinal principle: As Open as Possible, As Closed as Necessary, which recognises that while transparency is a public good, certain research may require restrictions to protect intellectual property, ethical requirements, or personal information.
The NWU manages this ecosystem through two foundational pillars:
1. NWU Open Access Publications Policy |
2. NWU Research Data Management (RDM) Policy |
| This policy regulates public access to NWU research outputs, including master's and doctoral theses and dissertations (ETDs), journal articles, books, and conference proceedings. These outputs are preserved and disseminated through the institutional repository, Boloka, to increase the visibility, discoverability, and global impact of the university's scholarship. | The RDM policy provides a framework for managing research data, including raw, cleaned, and analysed data throughout its entire life cycle. Eligible data that substantiates published research is made available for reuse in the NWU Research Data Repository (DaYta Ya Rona / Figshare). |
The Strategic Value of Open Science
The NWU's Open Access (OA) and RDM policies are vital to enhancing the dissemination of knowledge and ensuring research integrity. These policies:
- Aligned with the National Open Science Policy, UNESCO recommendations, and other funder mandates (including the NRF), our policies enable rapid dissemination of research findings.
- Remove barriers by eliminating paywalls, and we increase the visibility and citation potential of our researchers.
- Sharing underlying data promotes reproducibility, facilitates validation of research findings, and upholds scientific credibility