Launch of German Reproducibility Network: Foster trustworthiness and transparency in scientific research

February 01, 2021

Eight key Open Science actors in Germany founded the German Reproducibility Network. This cross-disciplinary consortium is dedicated to promote reproducible and robust research on a national level. Two scientists of the MPI Collective Goods are representatives of one of the founding members.

Today, it seems more important than ever that research results are trustworthy and based on robust research. This includes transparency and openness to enable the reproducibility of research results as a key quality indicator in research, which is also in line with established principles of good scientific practice. With this background, the German Reproducibility Network (GRN) was founded in January 2021. This peer-led cross-disciplinary consortium in Germany aims to increase trustworthiness and transparency of scientific research. Therefore, the network focuses on the following activities:

  • Support researchers in educating themselves about open science practices, and founding local open science communities.
  • Connecting local or topic-centered Reproducibility Initiatives to a national network, and foster connections between them.
  • Advise institutions on how to embed open science practices in their work.
  • Represent the open science community toward other stakeholders in the wider scientific landscape.

The GRN is embedded in a growing network of similar initiatives in the UK, Switzerland, Australia, and Slovakia. It is open for further members and offers various ways to participate. 

The founding members are the following eight Open Science actors in Germany:

  • Berlin University Alliance
  • QUEST Center of the Berlin Institute of Health at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin
  • German Psychological Society (DGPs)
  • Helmholtz AI
  • Helmholtz Open Science Office
  • LMU Open Science Center
  • NOSI (Network of Open Science Initiatives)
  • ZBW – Leibniz Information Centre for Economics

The representatives of NOSI (Network of Open Science Initiatives Research) and researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods, Susann Fiedler and Rima-Maria Rahal, say: “We need science we can trust. GRN helps advance transparent, robust and reproducible research in Germany by connecting researchers, institutions and other players.

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