Eight key Open Science actors in Germany founded the German Reproducibility Network (GRN). This cross-disciplinary consortium is dedicated to promote reproducible and robust research on a national level. The Berlin University Alliance (BUA) is one of the founding members. The network is open for further members and offers various ways to participate.

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 key quality indicators in research, which is also in line with established principles of good scientific practice. With this background, the German Reproducibility Network 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 of 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 partner institutions of the Berlin University Alliance have made it a main focus to support and pursue a common strategy of developing and promoting the value, quality, integrity, and credibility of research. To this end, the Berlin University Alliance commits to the principles of Open Science and recognizes the importance of a coordinated effort to promote research that is open, reproducible and responsible among the partner institutions and beyond. The involvement of the Berlin University Alliance in the GRN offers a great opportunity regarding the continuous exchange of expertise and experience with scientists and stakeholders on a national and international level.

The German Reproducibility Network 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 at the Berlin Institute of Health (BIH)
• German Psychological Society
• Helmholtz AI
• Helmholtz Open Science
• LMU Open Science Center
• NOSI (Network of Open Science Initiatives)
• ZBW – Leibniz Information Centre for Economics

Prof. Dr. Ulrich Dirnagl, founder of the BIH QUEST Center and steering committee member of Objective 3: Advancing Research Quality and Value of the BUA emphasizes: “A responsible, robust research environment needs an appropriate academic ecosystem which, above all, functions transparently and openly. The GRN engages in this very complex system in order to foster valuable and sustainable research across disciplines.”

More information: https://reproducibilitynetwork.de/
Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/GermanRepro 

The Berlin University Alliance

The Berlin University Alliance is a consortium consisting of three major Berlin universities – Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Technische Universität Berlin – and Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, established to shape research and education in Berlin. The four partners joined forces to further develop Berlin as a research hub with international drawing power. Together the partners explore major societal challenges, increase public outreach, promote the training of junior researchers, address issues of quality and standards in research, and share resources in the areas of research infrastructure, teaching, diversity, equal opportunities, and internationalization. The Berlin University Alliance is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the state of Berlin under the Excellence Strategy of the Federal Government and the Länder.

Joint press release from Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Technische Universität Berlin along with Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin

Press contact

Hans-Christoph Keller
Acting press spokesperson of the Berlin University Alliance and press spokesperson of the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Email: medien@berlin-university-alliance.de