Open mind, open science [Speech for Tilburg uni board] | Chris H.J. Hartgerink's Notebook

"This is a speech I gave for the board of Tilburg University on why Open science is important for the future of TIlburg University or any knowledge institute, honestly. Speech was given on March 9, 2017.

We produce loads of knowledge at this university, and yet we throw most of that knowledge away. We are throwing away taxpayer’s money; stifling scientific discovery; hampering the curiosity of our students and society.

Research data; peer reviews; research materials; developed software; research articles — they are literally and figuratively thrown away. But these are all building blocks for new knowledge, and the more building blocks available, the more knowledge we can build. Science is a bit like Legos in that sense: more pieces allow you to build greater structures.

Students can use these building blocks to learn better — learn about the real, messy process of discovery for example. Businesses can create innovative tools for information consumption by taking the hitherto unavailable information and reshaping it into something valuable. Citizens can more readily participate in the scientific process. And last but not least, science can become more accurate and more reliable.

Researchers from different faculties and staff members from different support services see the great impact of open science, and today I call on you to give make it part of the new strategic plan.

Let’s as a university work towards making building blocks readily available instead of throwing or locking them away."