For more than a decade, the Center for Open Science (COS) has advanced openness, integrity, and trustworthiness in research worldwide. This work has connected us with researchers, institutions, funders, and initiatives in diverse regions and contexts.
Today, we’re sharing an update on the steps we’re taking to establish a formal presence in the European Union in Brussels, Belgium and how we hope to collaborate with partners in the EU, Europe, and beyond.
Building on a Strong Foundation
Since our founding, COS has cultivated enduring collaborations across the EU through advisory roles, joint metascience initiatives, capacity building, partnerships with universities, journals, funders, and infrastructure.
These relationships have informed our work and deepened our understanding of the varied needs, perspectives, and communities that shape global open science.
Why We’re Establishing an EU Entity
Establishing an EU entity builds on the meaningful partnerships and shared work we've developed with EU-based collaborators and allows COS to participate fully in EU-funded and consortium-based research initiatives that have previously been out of reach due to jurisdictional requirements.
We've also heard from some partners that engagement through an EU-based organization matters—whether for reasons related to data governance, institutional preference, or simply the desire for more localized collaboration. Establishing a presence in the EU addresses both perceived and actual barriers, and reinforces our commitment to operating in alignment with the values and priorities of the communities we serve.
Moreover, open science operates within diverse regulatory, political, and funding environments. A formal presence in the EU strengthens COS's ability to support researchers and research supporting organizations in this region.
What This Means for Our Community
Our mission remains global. Establishing an EU entity expands COS's capacity to operate effectively across different regions and contexts—beginning with places where strong relationships and active collaboration already exist. This doesn't diminish our commitment to researchers in the U.S., the Global South, and beyond; rather, it reflects our approach of growing thoughtfully where relationships and opportunities already exist.
How We'll Engage
In the near term, our primary focus in the EU will be on listening and connecting with existing open scholarship efforts and better understanding the nuanced landscape of open science, research assessment, open infrastructure, and metascience initiatives already underway in the EU—learning where COS can be most useful, rather than duplicating work that's already happening.
Our goal is to plug in where we add value through shared infrastructure, research collaboration, convening capacity, or other forms of partnership that support the broader research ecosystem. We'll stay in close dialogue with partners and networks to identify specific opportunities as the incorporation process progresses.
Looking Ahead
The incorporation process is presently underway, and we're sharing this update in the spirit of transparency and partnership, with more to come as new collaborations take shape.
We're grateful for the conversations and partnerships that have brought us here, and excited about what we can build together in the years ahead. Please reach out if you have ideas, suggestions, or opportunities to work together that you would like to explore.
