Office for Open Research and Scholarship projects 2025/2026
The Office for Open Research and Scholarship is leading a series of open research initiatives aligned with the Research Culture Action Plan
Overview
Over 2025/2026, the Office will lead on a series of key open research initiatives aligned with the Research Culture Action Plan. These activities build on the Office for Open Research and Scholarship projects 2024/2025 and include initiatives to increase the recognition and visibility of Technicians' contributions to research, to support the professionalisation of research data stewards, and to support staff in editorial and publishing roles.
Projects
CRediT: recognising and rewarding all contributors to research
Following the publication of our new guidance on using CRediT to record and attribute all contributions to research, this year we are focusing on scaling up our activities around the Contributor Role Taxonomy across the University and the sector. We will be developing training for authors and contributors on using CRediT, surveying current practice across disciplines, and publishing good practice case studies that also showcase the contributions of Sheffield's Research Technical Professionals to research.
Technicians Prize
This year, we are reformulating the biennial ‘Unleash your Data and Software Prize’ to award Technicians with the opportunity to pursue and develop an independent research project and/or output. We are working with our technical staff network, TechNet, to develop the competition, and full details will be announced in Spring 2026.
Data Stewards Network
Over 2025/2026 we will continue our support for the Data Stewards Network, providing networking and training opportunities for data stewards, and working with partners across the university and the sector to increase the visibility, recognition, and professionalisation of all those engaged in data stewardship activities.
Editors and Publishers Network
Over 2025/2026, we will also continue to develop our Editors and Publishers Network to better support University of Sheffield staff with editorial and editorial support roles. This year, we will also be working with the N8 partnership to scale up support and services for open publication practices across the North.
Contact us
Email: library@sheffield.ac.uk