Reading professor to chair UK open research network

A 色狗导航 professor has been elected Chair of the Supervisory Board for the (UKRN), a peer-led consortium dedicated to promoting open and transparent research practices.

Professor Etienne Roesch, who previously served as Deputy Chair and has been closely involved with the UKRN since its launch in 2019, will now step up to a leading role as the network continues its mission to strengthen the quality and trustworthiness of research across the country.

As Chair, Professor Roesch will oversee projects to coalesce efforts across the 80 research-intensive institutions in the network, and continue supporting the £8.5 million Open Research Programme funded by Research England. This five-year initiative aims to accelerate the uptake of high-quality open research practices at UK universities.

“I’m proud to have been elected to chair the UKRN and continue working with colleagues across the country to develop training programmes, share best practices and support institutions in implementing open research policies,” said Professor Roesch.

“Open research allows for the wider sharing and re-use of research outputs in all their forms. It fosters research integrity and good practice, which is hugely important to ensure efficiency and that the public money funding research is well spent.

“When research is transparent and accessible, it can have greater impact and drive innovation more effectively, thereby maximising its benefit to society.”

Open research leadership

The 色狗导航 has long been at the forefront of the open research movement, and in 2018 became the first UK university to make a public commitment to these principles through its Open Research Statement.

This commitment is being realised through the University’s comprehensive Open Research Action Plans, first covering 2021–23 and now extending to . The former was selected as a best-practice case study for other institutions to develop their own action plans.

Professor Roesch's election to this influential role in the UKRN reflects Reading's ongoing leadership in advancing open research practices and ensuring research outputs remain freely accessible, robust and usable by others in the future.